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An '''acronym''' is an [[initialism]] pronounced as a real word. An acronym is an [[abbreviation]] coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters ([[NATO]] from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be [[ASEAN]] for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms ([[ICC]] for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court).

An '''acronym''', is an [[abbreviation]] coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase (compare [[initialism]]). For example, [[NATO]] for the <u>N</u>orth <u>A</u>tlantic <u>T</u>reaty <u>O</u>rganization.

In most cases, acronyms are capitalized, but after long use the abbreviation becomes a word in its own right and is spelled with small letters, like

''[[SCUBA]]'', '''S'''elf '''C'''ontained '''U'''nderwater '''B'''reathing '''A'''pparatus (now ''scuba'').

 

In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement).  

 

Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms ([[ICC]] for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court).

==See also==

==See also==