Advertisement
3343 entries found
A.P.R. 
also APR, abbreviation of annual percentage rate, attested from 1979, American English.
Related entries & more 
Advertisement
a.s.a.p. 

also asap, adverbial phrase pronounced either as a word (acronym) or as four letters (initialism), 1920, in a list of abbreviations recommended for secretaries in dental offices, from initial letters of phrase as soon as possible. The article (Walter E. Fancher, D.D.S., "The Practical Application of the Dental Hygienist in General Practice," in Oral Hygiene, March 1920) also has A.S.A.C. for as soon as convenient.

Related entries & more 
A.U.C. 
as an abbreviation in Roman history in reckoning of dates it represent either ab urbe condita (q.v.) "from the founding of the city" or Anno Urbis Conditae "in the year of the founded city," from ablative of annus "year" (see annual (adj.)) + genitive of urbs "city" (see urban) + genitive of condita, fem. of conditus, past participle of condere "to set up, put together" (see abscond)
Related entries & more 
A.V. 
abbreviation of Authorized Version (of the English Bible, 1611) attested from 1868; see authorize.
Related entries & more 
aardvark (n.)

also aard-vark, South African groundhog, 1833 (in German from 1824), from Afrikaans Dutch aardvark, literally "earth-pig" (it burrows), from aard "earth," from Proto-Germanic *ertho- (see earth (n.)) + vark "pig," from Middle Dutch varken "small pig," which is from Proto-Germanic *farhaz (source also of Old High German farah, German Ferkel "young pig, sucking pig," a diminutive form; Old English fearh), from PIE root *porko- "young pig."

Related entries & more 
Advertisement
aardwolf (n.)

also aard-wolf, "small, insectivorous mammal native to East and Southern Africa, related to the hyena," 1833, from Afrikaans Dutch aardwolf, literally "earth-wolf," from aard "earth" (see earth (n.)) + wolf "wolf" (see wolf (n.)).

Related entries & more 
Aaron 
masc. proper name, in the Old Testament the brother of Moses, from Hebrew Aharon, which is said to be probably of Egyptian origin. The Arabic form is Harun. Related: Aaronic. Aaron's beard as a popular name for various plants (including St. John's wort and a kind of dwarf evergreen) deemed to look hairy in some way is from 1540s. Aaron's rod is from 1834 in botany, 1849 in ornamentation; the reference is biblical (Exodus vii.19, etc.).
Related entries & more 
ab initio 
c. 1600, Latin, literally "from the beginning," from ab "from" (see ab-) + ablative of initium "entrance, beginning," which is from or related to the verb inire "to go into, enter upon, begin" (see initial).
Related entries & more 
ab ovo 
"from the beginning," Latin, literally "from the egg," from ab "from, away from" (see ab-) + ablative of ovum "egg" (see ovum). The expression is said to refer to the Roman custom of beginning the meal with eggs, as also in the expression ab ovo usque ad mala, "from the egg to the apples" (Horace), hence "from the beginning to the end" (compare early 20c. soup to nuts).
Related entries & more 
ab urbe condita 
with year-dates, an occasional Roman method of identifying a given year by reference to the time passed since founding of the city, which in 1c. B.C.E. was calculated to have taken place in what we would call 753 B.C.E. Literally "from the city founded;" the elements are ab "from" (see ab-) + ablative of urbs "city" (see urban) + fem. past participle of condere "put together, store," from assimilated form of com- "together" (see com-) + -dere "put," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, place."
Related entries & more 

Page 13

Advertisement

Trending Words

© 2001-2020 Douglas Harper