Gourt Home::Gourt :: List of English apocopations
This is a list of common apocopations in the English language.
A
- abs for abdominal muscles
- ad or advert for advertisement
- addy for (email) address (UK)
- admin for administrator or administration
- afish for aficionado
- ag for agriculture
- agit-prop for agitational propaganda
- amp from amplifier; amplify; ampere; or amphetamine (as in "amped up")
- app for application
- arco for arcology
- auto for automobile
- av or avvie (also avvy) for avatar
B
- b for bad (as in the phrase "my bad" meaning "my mistake" or "my apologies")
- bennies for benzedrine or benefits
- bi for bisexual
- bike for bicycle
- bio for biology or biography
- Birks for Birkenstocks
- biz for business
- bod for body
- bookie for bookmaker
- bra for brassiere
- bro for brother
- bronc for bronco
- bronto for brontosaur(us)
- bud for buddy
- budgie for budgerigar
- bunk for bunkum
C
- cab for cabriolet
- Cali for California
- cam for camera or camouflage
- camo for camouflage
- Can for Canada or Canadian (in combining forms)
- cap for captain
- carbs for carbohydrates
- chem for chemistry
- chemo for chemotherapy
- chimp for chimpanzee
- cig for cigarette
- civ for civilization
- civvy or civie for civilian
- clit for clitoris
- coke for cocaine
- Coke for Coca-Cola
- con for convict, confidence trick, convention
- condo for condominium
- congrats for congratulations
- corp for corporation
- cred for credibility
- crip for cripple
- croc for crocodile
- curio for curiosity
- cyber for cybernetics
D
- decaf for decaffeinated
- decal for decalcomania
- deco for decoration
- deets for details
- deli for delicatessen
- delish for delicious
- Dem for Democrat
- demo for demonstration or demolition
- derm for dermatologist or dermatological
- detox for detoxification
- dicot for dicotyledon
- dif (or diff) for difference
- digi for digital
- digi cabes for digital cable
- dino for dinosaur
- dis (or diss) for disrespect
- disco for discotheque
- doc for doctor or document (commonly a Microsoft Word document)
- dorm for dormitory
E
- ed for education
- emo from emotional
- ep for episode
- ex for ex-(boyfriend, wife, etc); exhibition; or war exercise
- exam for examination
- exec for executive
- expo for exposition
F
- fan from fanatic
- frag for fragmentation grenade
- frank for frankfurter
G
- ganj for ganja
- gas for gasoline
- gig for gigabyte
- glutes for gluteus maximus
- go fig for go figure
- gov for governor
- grad for graduate (or graduation, as in grad night)
- gym for gymnasium
H
- hash for hashish
- hetero or het for heterosexual
- hippo for hippopotamus
- homo for homosexual; homogenized (milk)
- hype from hyperbole (?)
- hyper for hyperactive
I
- Inc for Incorporated
- inf for infinitely
- info for information
- infra dig for infra dignitatem (beneath one's dignity) (borrowed from Latin)
- inti for intifada
- intro for introduction
- ipecac for ipecacuanha
J
- Jap for Japanese (considered rude)
K
- karaoke from kara-ookesutora (borrowed from Japanese)
- kilo for kilogram
- klepto for kleptomaniac
L
- lab for laboratory; Labrador retriever
- lav for lavatory
- legit from legitimate
- les for lesbian
- lib for liberation or Libertarian
- limo for limousine
- lino for linoleum
- lit for literature
- lo-cal for low-calorie
- log for logarithm
M
- mac for macaroni or Macintosh
- mack for mackintosh
- macro for macroinstruction
- mag for magazine
- Mass for Massachusetts
- maths (Br) or math (US) for mathematics
- max for maximum
- mayo for mayonnaise
- med for medic
- meg for megabyte
- meth for methamphetamine
- Mexi for Mexican
- mezc for mescaline
- mike (or mic) for microphone or microgram
- Minn for Minnesota
- Miss for Mississippi
- mono for mononucleosis or monophonic
- monocot for monocotyledon
N
- natch for naturally
- negs for (photographic) negatives
- neocon for neoconservative
- nympho for nymphomaniac
O
- OB/GYN for obstetrician-cum-gynecologist
- op for optical; operation; operator; opportunity
- op-ed for "opposite the editorial (page)"
- orang for orangutan
P
- Paki for Pakistani (pejorative)
- pants for pantaloons
- pecs for pectoral muscles
- peeps for people
- Peke for Pekingese
- Penn for Pennsylvania
- perp for perpetrator
- perv for pervert
- photo for photograph
- phys ed for physical education
- piano for pianoforte (borrowed from Italian)
- pic for (digital) picture
- pol for politician
- polio for poliomyelitis
- poly for polytechnic
- po-mo for post-modern
- pop for popular
- porn or porno for pornography
- prefs for preferences
- preg for pregnant
- prelim from preliminary (examination)
- prep for preparatory
- pres (or prez) for president
- pro for professional
- prof for professor
- prom for promenade
- promo for promotion
- prop for propaganda; propeller; proposition
- psych for psychology
- psycho for psychopath
- pub for publication; public house
- pyro for pyromaniac
Q
- quad for quadrangle
R
- rad for radical; (military) radio
- radio for radiotelegraphy
- Rasta for Rastafarian
- Reb for Rebel (i.e. Confederate)
- rec for recreation
- recon for reconnaissance
- ref for referee; reference
- rehab for rehabilitation
- rep for repetition; representative; Republican; reputation
- repo for repossession
- res for reserve (Indian or military); residence; resolution
- rhino for rhinoceros
- ruck for rucksack
S
- San Fran for San Francisco
- sarge for sergeant
- sarky for sarcastic
- Satch for Joe Satriani
- sax for saxophone
- schizo for schizophrenic
- Scottie for Scottish Terrier
- Sea-Tac from Seattle-Tacoma
- sec for second; secant
- Semper Fi! for Semper Fidelis
- sig for signal; (Internet) signature
- sim for simulation
- sis for sister
- soph for sophomore
- spats for spatterdashes
- spec for specialist; specification; speculation
- specs for specifications; spectacles
- sperm for spermatozoön
- staph for staphylococcus
- stat from statim (borrowed from Latin)
- stats for statistics
- steno for stenographer
- stereo for stereophony
- strep for streptococcus
- sub for submarine or substitute
- sum for summarize
- sus (or suss) for suspect
- sush for sushi
- sync (or synch) for synchronization
- synth for synthesizer
- syph for syphilis
T
- tan for tangent
- tarp for tarpaulin
- taxi (or taxicab) for taximeter cabriolet
- tech for technician; technology
- techno for technology
- teddy for teddy bear
- teen for teenager
- tele or telly for television
- trad for tradition
- tranq for tranquilizer
- trig for trigonometry
- tux for tuxedo
- typo for typographical error
U
- undies for underwear
- uni for university
V
- veg for vegetate
- veg or veggie for vegetable
- veggie for vegetarian
- vet for veterinarian or veteran
W
- Wisc for Wisconsin
X
- xolo for xoloitzcuintli
Y
- Yank for Yankee
Z
- zep for zeppelin
- zoo for zoological garden
When apocopation is done with Cockney rhyming slang, it is called hemiteleia:
- bread from bread-and-honey = money
- raspberry from raspberry tart = sound made with tongue
- titfer from tit-for-tat = hat
See also
"List of English apocopations"