# Define an Acronym **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 20, 2015, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933 "2015-09-20T07:52:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/1 "2015-09-20T07:52:39Z")
I kept seeing “IIRC” here on SDMB, went to Google it and discovered it means “if I really cared.” There are plenty of acronyms being used on the Internet. What are some acronyms that you saw, and subsequently had to Google to figure out their meaning? I recently discovered FFS: for f\*\*\*s sake. In a sentence: “Cal it’s only 7 o’clock, ffs.” ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/2 "2015-09-20T08:14:54Z")
IIRC means “if I recall correctly” in my posts. ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/3 "2015-09-20T08:17:57Z")
From another thread > [@Funniest things said in class](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-things-said-in-class/731767/4): > > In one of my college classes. Analysis and Arguement \*\*IIRC.\*\*fellow female classmate. > > Hyperbole. But not pronounced hi per bo lee. Pronounced hyper boil. > > Fetus. But not pronounced fee tuss. Pronounced pho heat ut sis. > > Boils and Taco Bell products will never be the same… Update: had to reGoogle because “if i really cared” didn’t make sense here-- and discovered it also means “if I remember correctly.” Share an acronym! ETA: Eliahna, thanks lol, I was typing this post before I could see yours. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/4 "2015-09-20T08:53:13Z")
I kind of liked PALATR, which means Point and Laugh at the R\*\*\*\*\*, but we’re not suppose to say that on this board any more ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/5 "2015-09-20T08:55:04Z")
Of course, there’s SDMB itself, which has occasionally been noted as simply being a permutation of BDSM. ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/6 "2015-09-20T08:57:20Z")
I just ran into AFAIK and FWIW while trying to help that one person search for the 2 days ago joke. Can someone define those two acronyms for me? I’m really dedicated to helping hir find this damn joke ATM. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/7 "2015-09-20T09:32:08Z")
> [@brovolone](#): > > I just ran into AFAIK and FWIW while trying to help that one person search for the 2 days ago joke. Can someone define those two acronyms for me? I’m really dedicated to helping hir find this damn joke ATM. As Far As I Know For What It’s Worth Automatic teller machine 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/8 "2015-09-20T09:32:31Z")
I believe that strictly speaking an acronym is an abbreviation or collection of initials that has come to be used as a word (like NATO, UNESCO and Benelux). If it isn’t said as a word, it’s presumably still just an abbreviation, like UN or USA. (AFAIK = As far as I know - I haven’t heard anyone saying anything sounding like “A fake”! FWIW = For what it’s worth). ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/9 "2015-09-20T09:34:57Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I believe that strictly speaking an acronym is an abbreviation or collection of initials that has come to be used as a word (like NATO, UNESCO and Benelux). If it isn’t said as a word, it’s presumably still just an abbreviation, like UN or USA. > > (AFAIK = As far as I know - I haven’t heard anyone saying anything sounding like “A fake”! > FWIW = For what it’s worth). TFC Thanks for clarifying ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/10 "2015-09-20T11:57:35Z")
One acronym that is very common on certain other boards but nearly unheard of here is SWIM. **S** omeone **W** ho **I** sn’t **M** e ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/11 "2015-09-20T12:01:49Z")
**brovolone** , you must be rather new on the Internet. At least a few of those acronyms you have just learned are very well-known and used very extensively on message boards and social media across the whole English-speaking Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/12 "2015-09-20T14:15:44Z")
There are several sites like [Acronym Finder](http://www.acronymfinder.com/) that are of varying degrees of comprehensiveness. Google or Yahoo! Search for “acronym” and you’ll get more than a few such sites. One of my all-time favorites is DILLIGAS which comes in handy at times. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/13 "2015-09-20T15:46:40Z")
Here is the [Beginner’s Guide to Glossary of Terms on Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6241129#post6241129). ---
**Author:** ![Hoss\_N.Feffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/90db22/32.png) [@Hoss\_N.Feffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoss_N.Feffa)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/14 "2015-09-20T16:11:10Z")
The ones I (sometimes) like are the really long ones that have to be defined by the poster–there’s usually no reasonable way to figure it out on your own. (It’s less fun if the poster has to be asked to define it.) My favorite of these is LSHMSFOAIADMT: Laughing so hard my sombrero fell off and I almost dropped my taco. It appears to have become more common to the point you might be able to look it up. I haven’t actually seen it on the SDMB, though. (until now!) ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/15 "2015-09-20T18:25:24Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > **brovolone** , you must be rather new on the Internet. At least a few of those acronyms you have just learned are very well-known and used very extensively on message boards and social media across the whole English-speaking Internet. Thanks for defining an acronym. ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/16 "2015-09-20T18:32:57Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > There are several sites like [Acronym Finder](http://www.acronymfinder.com/) that are of varying degrees of comprehensiveness. Google or Yahoo! Search for “acronym” and you’ll get more than a few such sites. > > One of my all-time favorites is DILLIGAS which comes in handy at times. GAH. I had to do the legwork… DILLIGAF has a better ring to it. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/17 "2015-09-21T18:00:48Z")
I don’t hear it in real life, but on Big Bang Theory, Penny called the meme “lol cats”, rhyming with “stall cats”. I thought it was “ell oh ell cats”. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/18 "2015-09-21T18:11:49Z")
Time for me to be pedantic. Acronyms spell a made up word. NATO is an acronym. IIRC is an Initialism. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/19 "2015-09-21T18:17:59Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I believe that strictly speaking an acronym is an abbreviation or collection of initials that has come to be used as a word (like NATO, UNESCO and Benelux). If it isn’t said as a word, it’s presumably still just an abbreviation, like UN or USA. About acronym, AFAIK, you’re correct. An accronym is an abbreviation that is pronounceable as a word. Other examples would be ASAP, LASER, RADAR, etc. Similarly, initialisms are abbreviations that are made up of just the first initials, so most of these “acronyms” are actually initialisms. That all said, unfortunately, acronym is often used for any sort of abbreviation these days. > [@Hoss\_N.Feffa](#): > > The ones I (sometimes) like are the really long ones that have to be defined by the poster–there’s usually no reasonable way to figure it out on your own. (It’s less fun if the poster has to be asked to define it.) My favorite of these is LSHMSFOAIADMT: Laughing so hard my sombrero fell off and I almost dropped my taco. > It appears to have become more common to the point you might be able to look it up. I haven’t actually seen it on the SDMB, though. (until now!) I like the obnoxious abbreviations, but they’re really only fun if they’re able to be figured out in the context of the thread. For instance, I have a memory of seeing a long one, might have even been here on the Dope, and I was easily able to figure it out from the context. I think it was something along the lines of IYKWIMAITYDBLFIWAAAH (If you know what I mean, and I think you do because, let’s face it, we’re all adults here). I can remember the context anymore, but it was used cleverly, perhaps the very phase had been repeated several times in the thread or something. Personally, I’m not a big fan of these unless they’re phrases that I find I use a lot and I either expect that most people know it already, it’s easy to figure out from context, or even if you can’t figure it out, it’s just a connecting phrase and it doesn’t matter anyway. So, for instance, I’ll sometimes use FWIW or IIRC or FYI or IOW. In most cases, at least here, they’re well known, but it still shouldn’t hurt my ability to communicate much. There are some that are or have been common that I resist because I feel the abbreviation has a different connotation than the phrase. For instance, ASAP always feels more urgent than “as soon as possible” and LOL is used as a generic “I laughed” where if I really want to express that I literally laughed out loud, I need to type all out. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933/20 "2015-09-21T18:19:08Z")
An acronym is an abbreviation,\*\* used as a word\*\*, which is formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. Usually these components are individual letters (as in NATO or laser) or parts of words or names (as in Benelux). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-an-acronym/731933.md?page=2)