Initialisms

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