Abbreviations & Acronyms
Abbreviation:
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or a phrase (group of words).
The result of abbreviation is a reduced form or abridgement of writing. They are commonly used because they save time and space.
As said by John Horne Tooke, “Abbreviations are the wheels of language, the wings of Mercury.
Examples:
ATM = Automated Teller Machine
BBC = British Broadcasting Corporation
Acronym:
It is a word formed from the initial letters of the several words in the name and pronounced as one word.
Examples:
NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA)
AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Most Common Abbreviations & Acronyms with the Letter ‘Q’
Q
| Q / Q. | Qatar (IVR – International Vehicle Registration) / Quality / Quality value / Quarto / Quebec (also Que.) / Queen (Cards & Chess) / Queensland (also Qld) / Query / Question / Quetzal (Guatemalan currency) / Electric charge symbol / Temp. co-efficient / Question / 500 (symbol for medieval Roman numeral) / Quartermaster / unit of heat energy = 1018 British thermal units (US) |
| Q– | 500000 (medieval Roman numeral) |
| q / q. | Quart / Quarter / Query / Quintal |
| Q&A / Q and A | Question & Answer |
| QA | Quality assurance |
| QAA | Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education |
| QADS | Quality assurance data system |
| QALY | (acronym) Quality-adjusted life year |
| QAM | Quadrature amplitude modulation (transmitting method of digital signals) |
| QANTAS | (acronym) Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (the Australian International airline) |
| QARANC | Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps |
| QARNNS | Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service |
| QB | Queen’s Bench (Law) / Quarterback (American Football) |
| QC | Quality control / Quality circle / Queen’s College / Queen’s Counsel |
| QCA | Qualifications and Curriculum Authority |
| QCD | Quantum chromodynamics (Particle Physics) |
| qds | Quarter in die sumendus (Latin) = to be taken four times a day |
| QED | Quod erat demonstrndum (Latin) = which was to be demonstrated |
| QEF | Quod erat faciendum (Latin) (Math) = which was to be done |
| QEH | Queen Elizabeth Hall (on London’s South Bank) |
| QEI | Quad erat inveniendum (Latin) = which was to be found |
| QF | Quick-firing (military) |
| QGM | Queen’s Gallantry Medal |
| QI | Quartz-iodine |
| QIC | Quarter-inch cartridge (standard for computer tapes) |
| qid | Quarter in die (Latin) (in prescriptions) = four times a day |
| QL | Query language (computing) |
| ql | Quantum libet (in prescriptions) (Latin) = as much as you please / Quintal |
| Qld | Queensland |
| QM | Quartermaster |
| QMG | Quartermaster-General |
| QMS | Quartermaster-Sergeant |
| QMV | Qualified majority voting |
| QPM | Queen’s Police Medal (UK) |
| Quartos | |
| qqv / qq.v. | Quae vide (Latin) = which see (used instead of qv referring to more than one item) |
| qr | Quarter(s) / Quire(s) |
| QR/QR code | Quick response code (trademark) |
| QSM | Queen’s Service Medal |
| QSO | Quasi-stellar object (quasar) / Queen’s Service Order (NZ) |
| QSS | Quasi-stellar radio source (Astronomy) |
| QST | Quebec Sales Tax (Canadian) |
| qt / qt. | Quantity / Quart(s) |
| q.t. | Quiet (informal) |
| qto | Quarto |
| QTOL | Quite takeoff and landing |
| QTS | Qualified Teacher Status |
| qty | Quantity |
| qu. / quar. | Quart / Quarter / Quarterly |
| Qu. / qu. | Queen / Question |
| qv / q.v. | Quantum vis (Latin) = as much as you wish / Quod vide (Latin) = which see (qqv/qq.v. – plural) |
| QWERTY/qwerty | The standard arrangement of letters on an English-language typewriter or computer keyboard (at the top left-hand side). |
| qy | Query |
