From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishabbreviateab‧bre‧vi‧ate /əˈbriːvieɪt/ ●○○ verb [transitive] SLGSHORT/NOT LONGto make a word or expression shorter by not including letters or using only the first letter of each word SYN shortenbe abbreviated to something ‘Information technology’ is usually abbreviated to ‘IT’.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
abbreviate• The most moderate view is that Celsus' discussion has been abbreviated.• Television, it should be remembered, can conserve and celebrate just as it can abbreviate and denature.• Also, in writing of events the writer is certain to have to abbreviate any descriptions very sharply.• Is it correct to abbreviate 'Avenue', 'Street' and so on when writing an address on an envelope?• The solution is to abbreviate, contract and condense.• Unless he can marry, he is often destined to a troubled and abbreviated life.• Can you relate this use of questions to the fact that you is deleted from abbreviated questions?• Tag-Controlled Deletion is a rule of the abbreviated style in informal language.• However, the tag cases are only one part of the general deletion processes that affect subject and auxiliary in abbreviated style.• The word "kilogram' is usually abbreviated to "kg'.Origin abbreviate (1400-1500) Late Latin past participle of abbreviare, from Latin brevis “short” 