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abbreviazione

abbreviation

noun ahb-breh-vyah-TSYOH-neh Rare
Communication Writing

Origin: From Latin abbreviatio, from abbreviare (to shorten), from ad- + brevis (short).

Usage Note

Abbreviazione refers to a shortened written form of a word (e.g., sig. for signore). Italians distinguish it from acronimo (acronym, where initials form a pronounceable word like NATO) and sigla (initialism like UE for Unione Europea). In practice, everyday Italian often uses sigla loosely for all three types.

Examples

"'S.p.A.' è l'abbreviazione di 'Società per Azioni'."

Natural Translation

'S.p.A.' is the abbreviation for 'Società per Azioni' (public limited company).

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