"SCUBA" and "OPEC" are acronyms. What is the technical term for abbreviations like "CIA" and "UFO"?

Answer 1

Wow... If nothing else, the answers to this question really show a lack of reading ability. According to dictionary.com, CIA and UFO are also acronyms in the "jargon" sense of the word. The roots of "acronym" are "acro" meaning tip or point and "nym" meaning name, so it could refer to any string made up of the tips of names. I see the distinction you are trying to make (i.e. scuba is pronounced as a word, while CIA is not), but I don't know the term you are looking for.

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Just found it on wikipedia... the word for abbreviations like CIA that are pronounced as their individual letters and not as a word is "initialism." They are also sometimes called "alphabetisms." In common usage, though, acronym is acceptable as an umbrella term.

Answer 2

Central Intelligence Agency

Unidentified Flying Object

Answer 3

Central Intelligence Agency
Unidentified Flying Object

Answer 4

SCUBA-Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
OPEC-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
CIA-Central Intelligence Agency
UFO-Unidentified Flying Object

FBI-Federal Bureau of Investigation
NASA-National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Anything else?

Answer 5

UFO and CIA are considered acronyms as well. People usually think of acronyms as abbreviaations which spell out a word, but that is not always the case.

Answer 6

Central Intelligence Agency
unidentified flying object

Answer 7

I think you are looking for the word-"Initials". We identify the Central Intelligence Agency by thier initials; CIA, and Unidentified Flying Object by its initials, UFO.

Answer 8

CIA and UFO that are unpronouncable shortforms are simply abbreviations.

Answer 9

Central
Intelligence
Agency

Unidentified
Flying
Object

Self
Contained
Underwater
Breathing
Aparatus

Answer 10

those last examples are humorously called TLA - three letter acronyms