List of English apocopations

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This is a list of common apocopations in the English language.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - See also

A

abs for abdominal muscles
ad or advert for advertisement
addy for (email) address (UK)
admin for administrator or administration
afish for aficionado
ag for agriculture
agit-prop for agitational propaganda
amp from amplifier; amplify; ampere; or amphetamine (as in "amped up")
app for
arco for arcology
auto for automobile
av or avvie (also avvy) for avatar

B

b for bad (as in the phrase "my bad" meaning "my mistake" or "my apologies")
bennies for benzedrine or benefits
bi for bisexual
bike for bicycle
bio for biology or biography
Birks for Birkenstocks
biz for business
bod for body
bookie for bookmaker
bra for brassiere
bro for brother
bronc for bronco
bronto for brontosaur(us)
bud for buddy
budgie for budgerigar
bunk for bunkum

C

cab for cabriolet
Cali for California
cam for camera or camouflage
camo for camouflage
Can for Canada or Canadian (in combining forms)
cap for captain
carbs for carbohydrates
chem for chemistry
chemo for chemotherapy
chimp for chimpanzee
cig for cigarette
civ for civilization
civvy or civie for civilian
clit for clitoris
coke for cocaine
Coke for Coca-Cola
con for convict, confidence trick, convention
condo for condominium
congrats for congratulations
corp for corporation
cred for credibility
crip for cripple
croc for crocodile
curio for curiosity
cyber for cybernetics

D

decaf for decaffeinated
decal for decalcomania
deco for decoration
deets for details
deli for delicatessen
delish for delicious
Dem for Democrat
demo for demonstration or demolition
derm for dermatologist or dermatological
detox for detoxification
dicot for dicotyledon
dif (or diff) for difference
digi for digital
digi cabes for digital cable
dino for dinosaur
dis (or diss) for disrespect
disco for discotheque
doc for doctor or document (commonly a Microsoft Word document)
dorm for dormitory

E

ed for education
emo from emotional
ep for episode
ex for ex-(boyfriend, wife, etc); ; or war exercise
exam for examination
exec for executive
expo for exposition

F

fan from fanatic
frag for fragmentation grenade
frank for frankfurter

G

ganj for ganja
gas for gasoline
gig for gigabyte
glutes for gluteus maximus
go fig for go figure
gov for governor
grad for graduate (or graduation, as in grad night)
gym for gymnasium

H

hash for hashish
hetero or het for heterosexual
hippo for hippopotamus
homo for homosexual; homogenized (milk)
hype from hyperbole (?)
hyper for hyperactive

I

Inc for Incorporated
inf for infinitely
info for information
infra dig for infra dignitatem (beneath one's dignity) (borrowed from Latin)
inti for intifada
intro for introduction
ipecac for ipecacuanha

J

Jap for Japanese (considered rude)

K

karaoke from kara-ookesutora (borrowed from Japanese)
kilo for kilogram
klepto for kleptomaniac

L

lab for laboratory; Labrador retriever
lav for lavatory
legit from legitimate
les for lesbian
lib for liberation or Libertarian
limo for limousine
lino for linoleum
lit for literature
lo-cal for low-calorie
log for logarithm

M

mac for macaroni or Macintosh
mack for mackintosh
macro for macroinstruction
mag for magazine
Mass for Massachusetts
maths (Br) or math (US) for mathematics
max for maximum
mayo for mayonnaise
med for medic
meg for megabyte
meth for methamphetamine
Mexi for Mexican
mezc for mescaline
mike (or mic) for microphone or microgram
Minn for Minnesota
Miss for Mississippi
mono for mononucleosis or monophonic
monocot for monocotyledon

N

natch for naturally
negs for (photographic) negatives
neocon for neoconservative
nympho for nymphomaniac

O

OB/GYN for obstetrician-cum-gynecologist
op for optical; operation; operator; opportunity
op-ed for "opposite the editorial (page)"
orang for orangutan

P

Paki for Pakistani (pejorative)
pants for pantaloons
pecs for pectoral muscles
peeps for people
Peke for Pekingese
Penn for Pennsylvania
perp for perpetrator
perv for pervert
photo for photograph
phys ed for physical education
piano for pianoforte (borrowed from Italian)
pic for (digital) picture
pol for politician
polio for poliomyelitis
poly for polytechnic
po-mo for post-modern
pop for popular
porn or porno for pornography
prefs for preferences
preg for pregnant
prelim from preliminary (examination)
prep for preparatory
pres (or prez) for president
pro for professional
prof for professor
prom for promenade
promo for promotion
prop for propaganda; propeller; proposition
psych for psychology
psycho for psychopath
pub for publication; public house
pyro for pyromaniac

Q

quad for quadrangle

R

rad for radical; (military) radio
radio for radiotelegraphy
Rasta for Rastafarian
Reb for Rebel (i.e. Confederate)
rec for recreation
recon for reconnaissance
ref for referee; reference
rehab for rehabilitation
rep for repetition; representative; Republican; reputation
repo for repossession
res for reserve (Indian or military); residence; resolution
rhino for rhinoceros
ruck for rucksack

S

San Fran for San Francisco
sarge for sergeant
sarky for sarcastic
Satch for Joe Satriani
sax for saxophone
schizo for schizophrenic
Scottie for Scottish Terrier
Sea-Tac from Seattle-Tacoma
sec for second; secant
Semper Fi! for Semper Fidelis
sig for signal; (Internet) signature
sim for simulation
sis for sister
soph for sophomore
spats for spatterdashes
spec for specialist; specification; speculation
specs for specifications; spectacles
sperm for spermatozoön
staph for staphylococcus
stat from statim (borrowed from Latin)
stats for statistics
steno for stenographer
stereo for stereophony
strep for streptococcus
sub for submarine or substitute
sum for summarize
sus (or suss) for suspect
sush for sushi
sync (or synch) for synchronization
synth for synthesizer
syph for syphilis

T

tan for tangent
tarp for tarpaulin
taxi (or taxicab) for taximeter cabriolet
tech for technician; technology
techno for technology
teddy for teddy bear
teen for teenager
tele or telly for television
trad for tradition
tranq for tranquilizer
trig for trigonometry
tux for tuxedo
typo for typographical error

U

undies for underwear
uni for university

V

veg for vegetate
veg or veggie for vegetable
veggie for vegetarian
vet for veterinarian or veteran

W

Wisc for Wisconsin

X

xolo for xoloitzcuintli

Y

Yank for Yankee

Z

zep for zeppelin
zoo for zoological garden

When apocopation is done with Cockney rhyming slang, it is called hemiteleia:

bread from bread-and-honey = money
raspberry from raspberry tart = sound made with tongue
titfer from tit-for-tat = hat