Abbreviations — Chambers's Encyclopaedia

Abbreviations are contrivances in writing for saving time and space. A syllable (usually the initial one), initial or other letters, or arbitrary signs, are made to do duty for whole words and phrases. In ancient inscriptions, in Greek and Roman MSS., in medieval documents, such saving of space was extremely valuable, and abbreviation and contraction was carried to a great length. To decipher such devices special training is necessary; and at PALÆOGRAPHY the contractions and abbreviations used in ancient MSS. and books are dealt with (see also INScriptions). Short-hand (q.v.) has an elaborate system of its own. Here only abbreviations used in current English Literature are given. The most obvious, such as Rev. for Reverend, chap. for chapter, Dec. for December, Wed. for Wednesday, gov. for governor, lieut. for lieutenant, sec. for secretary, are omitted; and there are whole groups of abbreviations for almost every branch of knowledge, which are intelligible from the context in which they occur, and are too numerous to be included in any general list: adj. for adjective; Rs., rupees; Cor., Epistle to the Corinthians; G.W.R., Great Western Railway; P.G.M., Past Grand-master Mason; Slav., Slavonic; Syr., Syriac; the compounds of N. S. E. W., north, south, east, west, as ENE., &c.; deg., ft., gal., &c. in measures. For chemical symbols, see ATOMIC WEIGHTS, CHEMISTRY, &c.

The following is a list of the more important abbreviations in general use:

A.1.	First-class (of ships).	B.V.M.	Blessed Virgin Mary.	D.L.O.	Dead-letter Office.
A.B.	Able-bodied seaman.	C.	Centum, A hundred; centi-	Do.	Ditto (Ital.), the said; the same.
A.B.	Artium Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Arts.	C.A.	Chartered Accountant.	D.O.M.	Deo optimo maximo, To God, best and greatest.
A.B.F.M.	American Board of Foreign Missions.	Cal.	California.	Dr.	Doctor; Debtor.
Abp.	Archbishop.	Cantab.	Cantabrigiensis, of Cambridge.	D.Sc.	Doctor of Science.
A.B.S.	American Bible Society.	Cantuar.	Cantuarensis, of Canterbury.	D.T.	Dakota Territory.
Acct. or	A/c. Account.	Cap.	Capitulum, chapter.	D.T.	Doctor of Theology.
A.D.	Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord.	C.B.	Companion of the Bath.	D.V.	Deo Volente, God willing.
A.D.C.	Aide-de-camp.	C.C.C.	Corpus Christi College.	Dwt.	Pennyweight.
Ad lib.	Ad libitum, at pleasure.	C.D.S.	Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (founded 1886).	Ebor.	Eboracensis, of York.
Æt.	Ætatis [anno], in the year of his age.	C.D.V.	Carte-de-visite.	E.C.	Established Church.
A.F.B.S.	American and Foreign Bible Society.	C.E.	Civil Engineer.	Ed.	Edition; Editor.
A.G.	Adjutant-general.	cent.	Centum, a hundred.	e.g. or	Ex. gr. Exempli Gratiâ, for example.
A.H.	Anno Hegiræ, in the year of the Hegira (622 A.D.).	Cf.	Confer, compare.	E.I.	East Indies.
A.I.A.	Associate of the Institute of Actuaries.	C.H.	Court-house.	Etc.	Et cetera, and the rest; and so on.
Ala.	Alabama.	C.I.	Order of the Crown of India.	Exr.	Executor.
A.M.	Ante Meridiem, before noon.	C.I.E.	Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire.	f.	following; ff. following (plur.).
A.M.	Anno Mundi, in the year of the world.	C.J.	Chief-justice.	F., Falir.	Falrenheit.
A.M.	Artium Magister, Master of Arts.	C.M.	Certificated Master.	F.B.S.	Fellow of Botanical Society.
A.R.A.	Associate of Royal Academy.	C.M.	Chirurgie Magister, Master in Surgery.	F.C.	Free Church (of Scotland).
A.R.H.A.	Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy.	C.M.G.	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.	F.C.P.	Fellow of College of Preceptors.
Ark.	Arkansas.	C.M.S.	Church Missionary Society.	Fcp.	Foolscap.
A.R.S.A.	Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy.	c/o	Care of.	F.C.S.	Fellow of the Chemical Society.
A.S.	Anglo-Saxon.	Co.	Company; county.	F.D.	Fidei Defensor, Defender of the Faith.
A.U.C.	Ab Urbe Condita, from the building of Rome (753 B.C.).	C.O.D.	Cash on Delivery.	Fec.	Fecit, made (it).
A.V.	Artillery Volunteers.	Con.	Contra, against.	F.E.I.S.	Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland.
A.V.	Authorised Version of the Bible.	Conn. or	Ct. Connecticut.	F.F.A.	Fellow of Faculty of Actuaries.
Ax.	Axiom.	Cr.	Creditor.	F.F.P.S.	Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons (Glasgow).
B.A.	Baccalaureus Artium, Bachelor of Arts.	Crim. Con.	Criminal Conversation.	F.G.S.	Fellow of Geological Society.
Bart. or	Bt. Baronet.	C.S.I.	Companion of the Star of India.	F.K.Q.C.P.I.	Fellow of the King's and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland.
B.C.	Before Christ.	C.T.	Certificated Teacher.	Fl.	Floruit, flourished.
B.C.L.	Bachelor of Civil Law.	Curt.	Current—the present month.	Fla.	Florida.
B.D.	Bachelor of Divinity.	Cwt.	Hundredweight.	F.L.S.	Fellow of the Linnæan Society.
B.L.	Bachelor of Laws.	d.	Dele, delete, erase.	F.M.	Field-marshal.
B/l.	Bill of lading.	D.C.	Da Capo, from the beginning.	F.O.	Field-officer.
B.M.	Bachelor of Medicine.	D.C.L.	Doctor of Civil Law.	F.O.B.	Free on board.
B.M.	British Museum.	D.D.	Doctor of Divinity.	F.P.	Fire-plug.
Bp.	Bishop.	Deg.	Degree of Latitude, and Longitude.	F.P.S.	Fellow of Philological Society.
B.Sc.	Bachelor of Science.	Del.	Delaware.	F.R.A.S.	Fellow of the Royal Astronomical; of the Royal Asiatic Society.
		Delt.	Delineavit, drew (it).
		Dep.	Deputy, Department.
		D.G.	Dei Gratiâ, by the grace of God.
		D.L.	Deputy Lieutenant.
		D.Lit.	Doctor of Literature.

F.R.C.P.	Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.	L.I.	Long Island; Light Infantry.	Op. cit.	Opere citato, in the work quoted.
F.R.C.S.	Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons.	Linn.	Linnæan.	Or.	Oregon.
F.R.C.S.E.	—Edinburgh.	L.L.A.	Lady Literate in Arts.	O.S.	Old Style.
F.R.G.S.	Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.	LL.B.	Legum Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Laws (the plural being denoted by the double L).	O.S.B.	Order of St Benedict.
F.R.S.	Fellow of the Royal Society.	LL.D.	Legum Doctor, Doctor of Laws.	O.T.	Old Testament.
F.R.S.E.	—Edinburgh.	Loc. cit.	Loco citato, in the place quoted.	Oxon.	Oxoniensis, of Oxford.
F.S.A.	Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, or of Arts.	Long.	Longitude.	Oz.	Ounce.
F.S.S.	Fellow of Statistical Society.	Loq.	loquitur, speaks.	P.	President; Professor.
F.Z.S.	Fellow of Zoological Society.	Lou. or	La. Louisiana.	Pa.	Pennsylvania.
Ga. or	Geo. Georgia.	L.R.C.P.	Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians.	P.C.	Privy Conncillor; Police Constable.
G.B.	Great Britain.	L.R.C.P.E.	—Edinburgh.	P.C.S.	Principal Clerk of Session.
G.C.B.	Grand Cross of the Bath.	L.R.C.S.	Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons.	P.E.	Protestant Episcopal.
G.C.L.H.	Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.	L.S.	Loco sigilli, the place of the seal.	P.E.I.	Prince Edward Island.
G.C.M.G.	Grand Cross of St Michael and St George.	L.S.A.	Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries.	Penn.	Pennsylvania.
G.C.S.I.	Grand Cross of the Star of India.	L.S.D.	Libre, Solidi, Denarii, pounds, shillings, pence.	Per ann.	Per annum, by the year.
Gk. or Gr.	Greek.	LXX.	Septuagint version (70).	Per cent.	Per centum, by the hundred.
G.P.O.	General Post-office.	M.	Mille, a thousand; Monsieur.	Ph.D.	Philosophic Doctor, Doctor of Philosophy.
H.B.M.	His or Her Britannic Majesty.	M.A.	Magister Artium, Master of Arts.	Phila.	Philadelphia.
H.E.I.C.S.	Hon. East India Co.'s Service.	Mass.	Massachusetts.	Pinx.	Pinxit, painted (it).
H.G.	Horse Gnards.	M.B.	Bachelor of Medicine.	P.M.	Post Meridiem, after noon.
H.I.H.	His Imperial Highness.	M.C.	Member of Congress; Master of Ceremonies.	P.M.	Post Mortem, after death.
H.M.S.	His or Her Majesty's Service, or Ship.	M.C.C.	Marylebone Cricket Club.	P.M.G.	Postmaster-general.
H.P.	Horse-power.	M.D.	Medicinae Doctor, Doctor of Medicine.	P.O.	Post-office.
H.R.	House of Representatives.	Md.	Maryland.	P.O.O.	Post-office order.
H.R.H.	His or Her Royal Highness.	Mdlle.	Mademoiselle.	Pp.	Pages.
H.S.H.	His Serene Highness.	Me.	Maine.	P.P.	Parish priest.
Ia.	Iowa.	M.E.	Methodist Episcopal.	P.P.C.	Pour prendre congé, to take leave; to say good-bye.
Id. or Ibid.	Ibidem, in the same place.	Mem.	Memento, Remember.	P.P.S.	Postscript additional.
Id.	Idem, the same.	M.F.H.	Master of Fox-hounds.	P.R.	Prize-ring; Porto Rico.
i.e.	Id est, that is.	M.I.C.E.	Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers.	P.R.A.	President of Royal Academy.
I.H.S.	For the Greek capitals ΙΗΣ, the first three letters of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, Jesus; erroneously supposed to be Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus the Saviour of men.	Mich.	Michigan.	P.R.I.B.A.	President of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Ill.	Illinois.	Minn.	Minnesota.	Pro.	Professional.
Imp.	Imperator, Emperor; Imperial.	Miss.	Mississippi.	Pro tem.	Pro tempore, for the time.
Incog.	Incognito (Ital.), unknown.	M.L.A.	Member of Legislative Assembly.	Prox.	Proximo, in the next month.
Ind.	Indiana.	M.L.C.	Member of Legislative Council.	P.R.S.	President of the Royal Society.
Ind. Ter.	Indian Territory.	M.M.	Messieurs.	P.S.	Post scriptum, Postscript.
Inf.	Infra, Below.	Mne.	Madame.	P.T.O.	Please turn over.
I.N.R.I.	Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum, Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews.	Mo.	Missouri.	P. & O.	Peninsular and Oriental Co.
Inst.	Instante (mense), Instant, of the present month; Institute.	M.P.	Member of Parliament.	Q.	Query or Question.
Inv.	Inventi, designed (it).	M.P.S.	Member of the Philological (or Pharmaceutical) Society.	Q.B.	Queen's Bench.
I.O.G.T.	Independent Order of Good Templars.	M.R.A.S.	Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences.	Q.C.	Queen's Counsel.
I.O.O.F.	—Oddfellows.	M.R.C.P.	Member of the Royal College of Physicians.	Q.E.D.	Quod erat demonstrandum, which was to be demonstrated.
I O U.	I owe you.	M.R.C.S.	Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.	Q.E.F.	Quod erat faciendum, which was to be done.
I.P.D.	In Præsentia Dominorum, in presence of the Lords (of Session), Edinburgh.	M.R.C.V.S.	Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.	Q.M.G.	Quartermaster-general.
I.T.	Idaho Territory.	M.R.I.	Member of Royal Institution.	q.s.	Quantum sufficit, enough.
I.T.	Indian Territory.	M.R.I.A.	Member of Royal Irish Academy.	Q.S.	Quarter Sessions.
It.	Italian.	MS.	Manuscript.	q.v.	Quod vide, which see.
J.C.	Juris Consultus, Jurisconsult.	MSS.	Manuscripts.	R.	Réaumur.
Jno.	John.	M.T.	Montana Territory.	R.	Recipe (in prescriptions), Take.
J.P.	Justice of the Peace.	Mus. Bac.	Bachelor of Music.	R.	Rex or Regina, King or Queen.
J.U.D.	Juris Utriusque Doctor, Doctor both of Civil and of Canon Law.	Mus. Doc.	Musicæ Doctor, Doctor of Music.	R.A.	Royal Academician; Royal Artillery.
Kan.	Kansas.	N.	North.	R.A.M.	Royal Academy of Music.
K.B.	Knight of the Bath.	N.A.	North America.	R.C.P.	Royal College of Preceptors.
K.C.	King's Counsel.	N.B.	North Britain; New Brunswick.	R.E.	Royal Engineers.
K.C.B.	Knight Commander of the Bath.	N.B.	Nota bene, mark well; observe.	Rep.	Representative; Republic.
K.C.H.	Knight Commander of the Order of Hanover.	N.C.	North Carolina.	R.H.A.	Royal Horse Artillery.
K.C.M.G.	Knight Commander of St Michael and St George.	N.D.	No date.	R.H.G.	Royal Horse Guards.
Ken. or	Ky. Kentucky.	N.E.	New England.	R.I.	Rhode Island.
K.G.	Knight of the Garter.	Neb.	Nebraska.	R.I.P.	Requiescat in Pace, May he rest in peace.
K.G.C.	" the Grand Cross.	Nem. con.	Nemine contradicente, no one contradicting.	R.M.	Royal Marines; Royal Mail.
K.G.C.B.	Knight Grand Cross of the Bath.	Nev.	Nevada.	R.M.A.	Royal Marine Artillery.
K.G.F.	Knight of the Golden Fleece.	N.F.	Newfoundland.	R.M.L.I.	Royal Marine Light Infantry.
K.H.	" Hanover.	N.H.	New Hampshire.	R.M.S.	Royal Mail Steamer.
kilo.	Kilogramme.	N.J.	New Jersey.	R.N.	Royal Navy.
K.L.H.	Knight of Legion of Honour.	N.M.	New Mexico.	R.S.A.	Royal Scottish Academician.
K.M.	" Malta.	N.O.	New Orleans.	R.S.E.	Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Knt. or	Kt. Knight.	No.	Numero, Number.	R.S.L.	Royal Society of London.
K.P.	Knight of St Patrick.	N.P.	Notary Public; New Providence.	R.S.M.	Royal School of Mines.
K.T.	" the Thistle.	N.S.	New Style; Nova Scotia.	R.S.O.	Railway Sub-office.
L.A.	Law Agent.	N.S.W.	New South Wales.	R.S.V.P.	Répondez s'il vous plaît, Please reply.
L.A.	Literate in Arts.	N.T.	New Testament.	R.V.	Revised Version of the Bible.
Lat.	Latin; Latitude.	N.W.T.	North-west Territory.	R.V.	Rifle Volunteers.
lb.	Libra, pound.	N.Y.	New York.	Ry.	Railway.
Lc.	Lowercase (in printing).	N.Z.	New Zealand.	S.	South; Saint; Seconds.
L.D.	Lady Day.	N. & Q.	Notes and Queries.	S. Am.	South America.
L.D.S.	Licentiate in Dental Surgery.	O.	Ohio.	Sc.	Scilicet, namely.
		o/a	On account of.	Sc.	Sculpti, engraved (it).
		Ob.	Obiit, died.	S.C.	South Carolina.
		O.H.G.	Old High German.	Sc.D.	Doctor of Science.
		O.K.	for, All Correct.	Sen.	Senator; Senior.
		per cent.		S.J.	Society of Jesus (Order of the Jesuits).
		O.P.	Out of print.	S.L.	Solicitor at Law.
				S.M.	Sa Majesté, His or Her Majesty.
				S.P.	Sine prole, Without offspring.
				S.P.C.A.	Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
				S.P.C.K.	Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

S.P.G.	Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.	U.S.A.	United States of America; United States Army.	W.S.	Writer to the Signet (Scotland).
S.P.Q.R.	Senatus Populusque Romanus, The Roman senate and people.	U.S.C.	United States of Colombia.	W.T.	Washington Territory.
Sq.	Sequens, the following.	U.S.N.	United States Navy.	W.Va.	West Virginia.
Sqq.	Sequentia, the following (plural).	U.S.S.	United States Ship.	Wy.T.	Wyoming Territory.
S.S.	Screw steamer.	U.T.	Utah Territory.	Xinas.	Christmas. The letter X has the same form as the Greek letter X (Chi), the first letter of Christ's name.
S.S.C.	Solicitor before the Supreme Courts (Scotland).	Ut sup.	Ut supra, as above.
S.T.P.	Sacræ Theologie Professor, Professor of Theology.	V.	Versus, against.	Xtian.	Christian.
Sup.	Supra, Above.	V.A.	Order of Victoria and Albert.	Yc, Yt.	The, That. (This use of Y originated in the Anglo-Saxon character þ, equivalent in sound to the modern th.)
s.v.	Sub voce, under such and such a head.	Va.	Virginia.
T.C.D.	Trinity College, Dublin.	V.C.	Victoria Cross; Vice-chancellor; Vice-consul.	Y.M.C.A.	Young Men's Christian Association.
Tenn.	Tennessee.	V.D.M.	Verbi Dei Minister, Preacher of the Word of God.	Y.W.C.A.	Young Women's do.
Temp.	Tempore, in the time of.	V.G.	Vicar-general.	Yr.	Younger.
Tex.	Texas.	Viz.	Videlicet, to wit; namely.	&.	Et, and.
T.O.	Telegraph Office; Turn over.	V.P.	Vice-president.	&c.	Et cetera, and the rest.
U.K.	United Kingdom.	V.R.	Victoria Regina, Queen Victoria.	4to.	Quarto.
Ult.	Ultimo (mense), in the last month.	V.R.I.	" " Imperatrix (Queen and Empress).	8vo.	Octavo.
U.P.	United Presbyterian.	V.S.	Veterinary Surgeon.	12mo.	Duodecimo.
U.S.	United States; United Service.	Vt.	Vermont.	£	Pound (money).
		W.I.	West Indies.	§	Dollar.
		Wis.	Wisconsin.