abbreviate
/əbˈɹiviˌeɪt/uh-BREE-vee-ayt
/əbˈɹiviˌeɪt/uh-BREE-vee-ayt
Meaningto make short
Common meaning: to shorten a word or phrase
- abaway, off
- brevshort in length or timeLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 250 · scan
- iateverb ending: to make or treat
‘away, off’ + ‘short in length or time’ → abbreviate
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin brevis ‘short in length or time’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry brevis, p. 250 · dictionary scan
Roots
- brevis, -e Latin “short in length or time”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app