Changes

They are distinguished from ''acronyms'' in that initialisms are pronounced as individual letters, while acronyms are pronounced as if the letters spelled out a word (which they may in some cases do). Both initialisms and acronyms are defined by custom; sometimes they do not strictly follow the rule of using every initial, or only the first initial. Unimportant words may be omitted, and particularly in . In the case of acronyms a certain amount of creativity may be employed.

*''FBI,'' for ''Federal Bureau of Investigation'''*''AFL-CIO,'' for ''American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations''