Acronyms and initialisms often occur in jargon. Acronyms are used most often to abbreviate names of organizations and long or frequently referenced terms. An initialism may have different meanings in different areas of industry, writing, and scholarship. This has led some to obfuscate the meaning either intentionally, to deter those without such domain-specific knowledge, or unintentionally, by creating an initialism that already existed.
Abbreviation |
Meaning |
| 404 |
I haven't a clue |
| ADN |
Any day now |
| AFAIK |
As far as I know |
| AFK |
Away from keyboard |
| ASAP |
As soon as possible |
| A/S/L? |
Age/sex/location? |
| B4N |
Bye for now |
| BAK |
Back at the keyboard |
| BBIAB |
Be back in a bit |
| BBL |
Be back later |
| BBN |
Bye bye now |
| BBS |
Be back soon |
| BF |
Boyfriend |
| BFN |
Bye for now |
| BG |
Big grin |
| BL |
Belly laughing |
| BMGWL |
Busting my gut with laughter |
| BRB |
Be right back |
| BTDT |
Been there, done that |
| BTW |
By the way |
| BWL |
Bursting with laughter |
| BWTHDIK |
But what the heck do I know...? |
| C&G |
Chuckle and grin |
| CNP |
Continued in next post |
| CRB |
Come right back |
| CRBT |
Crying real big tears |
| CU |
See you |
| CUL |
See you later |
| CUL8ER |
See you later |
| CYA |
See ya |
| CYO |
See you online |
| DL |
Dead link |
| DLTBBB |
Don't let the bed bugs bite |
| DIKU |
Do I know you? |
| DITYID |
Did I tell you I'm distressed? |
| DOM |
Dirty old man |
| DOS |
Dozing off soon |
| DQMOT |
Don't quote me on this |
| DTRT |
Do the right thing |
| DWB |
Don't write back |
| EG |
Evil grin |
| EMFBI |
Excuse me for butting in |
| EMSG |
E-mail message |
| EOM |
End of message |
| F2F |
Face to face |
| FAQ |
Frequently-ask question(s) |
| FC |
Fingers crossed |
| FISH |
First in, still here |
| FMTYEWTK |
Far more than you ever wanted to know |
| FOMCL |
Falling off my chair laughing |
| FTBOMH |
From the bottom of my heart |
| FUD |
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt |
| FWIW |
For what it's worth |
| FYI |
For your information |
| G Grin GA |
Go ahead |
| GAL |
Get a life |
| GD&R |
Grinning, ducking, and running |
| GF |
Girlfriend |
| GFN |
Gone for now |
| GIWIST |
Gee, I wish I'd said that |
| GL |
Good luck |
| GMAB |
Give me a break |
| GMTA |
Great minds think alike |
| GOL |
Giggling out loud |
| GTRM |
Going to read mail |
| GTSY |
Glad to see you |
| H&K |
Hug and kiss |
| HAGN |
Have a good night |
| HAND |
Have a nice day |
| HHIS |
Hanging head in shame |
| HIG |
How's it going |
| HT |
Hi there |
| HTH |
Hope this helps |
| IC |
I see |
| IHU |
I hear you |
| ILU or ILY |
I love you |
| IM |
Immediate message |
| IMS |
I am sorry |
| IOW |
In other words |
| IPN |
I'm posting naked |
| ITIGBS |
I think I'm going to be sick |
| IWALU |
I will always love you |
| IYSWIM |
If you see what I mean |
| J4G |
Just for grins |
| JIC |
Just in case |
| JK |
Just kidding |
| JTLYK |
Just to let you know |
| KISS |
Keep it simple stupid |
| KIT |
Keep in touch |
| KOTC |
Kiss on the cheek |
| KOTL |
Kiss on the lips |
| KWIM? |
Know what I mean? |
| L8R |
Later |
| L8R G8R |
Later gator |
| LD |
Later, dude |
| LDR |
Long-distance relationship |
| LHO |
Laughing head off |
| LMSO |
Laughing my socks off |
| LOL |
Laughing out loud |
| LSHMBH |
Laughing so hard my belly hurts |
| LTM |
Laugh to myself |
| LTNS |
Long time no see |
| LTR |
Long-term relationship |
| LULAB |
Love you like a brother |
| LULAS |
Love you like a sister |
| LUWAMH |
Love you with all my heart |
| LY |
Love ya |
| LY4E |
Love ya forever |
| MorF |
Male or female |
| MOSS |
Member of the same sex |
| MOTOS |
Member of the opposite sex |
| MTF |
More to follow |
| MUSM |
Miss you so much |
| NADT |
Not a darn thing |
| NIFOC |
Naked in front of computer |
| NP or N/P |
No problem |
| NRN |
No response necessary |
| OIC |
Oh, I see |
| OLL |
Online love |
| OMG |
Oh my God |
| OTOH |
On the other hand |
| OTTOMH |
Off the top of my head |
| PANS |
Pretty awesome new stuff
(as opposed to "POTS") |
| PAW |
Parents are watching |
| PDA |
Public display of affection |
| PM |
Private message |
| PMFJIB |
Pardon me for jumping in but... |
| POAHF |
Put on a happy face |
| ::POOF:: |
Goodbye (leaving the room) |
| POS |
Parent over shoulder |
| POTS |
Plain old telephone service |
| PU |
That stinks! |
| QT |
Cutie |
| ROFL |
Rolling on floor laughing |
| RPG |
Role-playing games |
| RSN |
Real soon now |
| RT |
Real time |
| S^ |
S'up - what's up |
| SETE |
Smiling ear to ear |
| SF |
Surfer-friendly
(low-graphics Web site) |
| SHID |
Slaps head in disgust |
| SO |
Significant other |
| SOL |
Smiling out loud |
| SOMY |
Sick of me yet? |
| SOT |
Short on time |
| SOTMG |
Short on time must go |
| STW |
Search the Web |
| SU |
Shut up |
| SUAKM |
Shut up and kiss me |
| SUP |
What's up |
| SWAK |
Sealed with a kiss |
| SWL |
Screaming with laughter |
| SYS |
See you soon |
| TA |
Thanks again |
| TAFN |
That's all for now |
| TANSTAAFL |
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch |
| TCOY |
Take care of yourself |
| TGIF |
Thank God it's Friday |
| THX |
Thanks |
| TIA |
Thanks in advance
(you post a question and are expecting a reply) |
| TILII |
Tell it like it is |
| TLK2UL8R |
Talk to you later |
| TMI |
Too much information |
| TNT |
Till next time |
| TOPCA |
Til our paths cross again
(early Celtic chat term) |
| TOY |
Thinking of you |
| TPTB |
The powers that be |
| TTFN |
Ta-Ta for now |
| TTT |
Thought that, too
(when someone types in what you were about to type) |
| TTYL |
Talk to you later |
| TU |
Thank you |
| TY |
Thank you |
| UW |
You're welcome |
| VBG |
Very big grin |
| WAYD |
What are you doing |
| WB |
Welcome back |
| WBS |
Write back soon |
| WEG |
Wicked evil grin |
| WFM |
Works for me |
| WIBNI |
Wouldn't it be nice if |
| WT? |
What/who the ? |
| WTG |
Way to go! |
| WTGP? |
Want to go private? |
| WU? |
What's up? |
| WUF? |
Where are you from? |
| WYSIWYG |
What you see is what you get |
| YBS |
You'll be sorry |
| YW |
You're welcome |
