Abbreviations

These lists contain the most common abbreviations used in the OED, arranged in categories.

Note that the words listed are not always used in the abbreviated form: some words are only abbreviated in certain contexts, e.g. when used as a subject label.

The Collation of language names lists all forms in which language names appear in the OED, whether abbreviated or in full. The number of different forms reflects the long publication history of the OED.

• Combined abbreviations list (172K)
• Abbreviations used in definitions and etymologies
• Abbreviations used in work titles
• Abbreviations of author names
• Shakespearean plays
• Books of the Bible
• Months of the year
• Collation of language names