An initialism is a new word created from the first letters of a phrase, but read letter-by-letter.
| AA Alcoholics Anonymous (a group that helps people with drinking problems) | GI galvanised iron (now noted as ‘government/general issue’). GI is an American soldier, and the acronym describes their equipment. |
| AD anno Domini (‘in the year of the Lord) | GMT Greenwich Mean Time |
| ADD Attention Deficit Disorder (a problem of not being able to stay still or concentrate for long) | HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus |
| BA Bachelor of Arts | LGBT+ lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, plus others |
| B & B bed and breakfast | MA Master of Arts |
| BC Before Christ | MBA Master of Business Administration |
| BYOB bring your own bottle (on party invitations, or at restaurants = bring whatever you want to drink) | MIA missing in action (= they went to do something, and haven’t come back) |
| CCTV closed-circuit television | MRI magnetic resonance imagining |
| CD compact disc | NGO non-governmental organization |
| CEO Chief Executive Officer | OR operating room |
| CFO Chief Financial Officer | PA personal assistant |
| DIY do it yourself | PhD Doctor of Philosophy |
| DUI driving under the influence (= drunk driving, or driving whilst on drugs) | p.s. post script |
| DVD digital video disc (or digital versatile disc) | RIP requiescat in pace (now adapted to ‘rest in peace’) |
| EMT emergency medical technician | RnB rhythm and blues |
| ER emergency room | RSVP repondez s’il vous plait (French; translated: please reply) |
| ETA expected time of arrival | UAE United Arab Emirates |
| IB International Baccalaureate | USA United States of America |
| IPO initial public offering | USB universal serial bus |