100 Popular Abbreviations used in Letters & Correspondence

There are many abbreviations, which are used as a short form for words and phrases in letters. Although, globally most people use the same kind of abbreviations in English letter writings; still there might be some additional abbreviations, which are popular locally in some countries.

A person, who is conversant with writing letters for correspondence, generally, becomes aware of these abbreviations and it is easier for him to understand the extension of abbreviation quickly.

If you are a beginner in letter writing and have less experience in understanding and using the abbreviations, then it would be better for you to go through as many abbreviations as possible through different reading mediums.

You should start using it one by one wherever possible and necessary in letter and other written communications.

List of 100 popular abbreviations:

a/c — account

admin. — administration

advert. or advt. — advertisement

adv. — advice

agcy. — agency

attn. — attention

alt. — alternate

art. — article

asst. — assistant

assn. — association

amt. — amount

asap — as soon as possible

aux. — auxiliary

abstr. — abstract

a.d. — acknowledgement due

bal. — balance

b/e — bills of exchange

bldg. — building

b/l — bill of lading

b/s — bill of sale

b.f. — brought forward

b/o — brought over

b/d — brought down

bkpt. — bankrupt

bros. — brothers

b.c. — bills for collection

b.r. — bills receivable

b.p. — bills payable

b.o. — branch office

blk. — bulk

b.k. — book keeping

b.s. — balance sheet

cap. — capital

capt. — captain

cf. — refer

c/o — care of

c.o.d. — cash on delivery

congt. — consignment

corp. — corporation

c.c. — carbon copy

c.i.f. — cost, insurance and freight

co. — company

cent. — hundred

contd. — continued

co-op. — co-operative

corr. — correspondence

cr. — credit or creditor

cp. — compare

deptt. — department

disc. — discount

div. — division

d/n — debit note

d/o — delivery order

dr. — debit or debtor

d/a. — documents against acceptance

d/s. — days after sight
dely. — delivery

doz. — dozen

ed. — edition

encl. — enclosed (encls. - enclosures)

e.o.m — end of month

e&oe — errors and omissions excepted

esq. — esquire

est. — established

exec. — executive

fig. — figure

gen. — general

gds. — goods

hon. — honorable

inc. — incorporated

imp. — important

ltd. — limited

memo. — memorandum

misc. — miscellaneous

mfg. — manufacturing

m/s. — messrs

neg. — negative

no. — number

o.d. — on demand

o.s. — out of stock

oz. — ounce

p.c. — percent

p.s. — postscript (additional text after the signature part)

p.a. — per annum (per year)

pkg. — packing

p&l — profit and loss

p.m. — per month

p.n. — promissory note

p.o. — postal order

p.t.o. — please turn over

qlty. — quality

recd. — received

ref. — reference

regd. — registered

retd. — retired (or returned)

r.p. — reply paid

sr. — senior

sec. — secretary

subj. — subject

vs. — versus

Some of the abbreviations for Latin phrases that are used sometimes in letters (in italics):

ad lib. — ad libitum (meaning - 'at pleasure')

ad val. — ad valorem (meaning - 'according to value')

avdp. or avoir. — avoirdupois (meaning - 'weights measurement pounds/ounces as units')

et al. — et alibi (meaning - 'and elsewhere')
c., ca., cca. — circa (meaning - 'approximately')

q.v. — quod vide (meaning - 'which see')

pro tem — pro tempore (meaning - 'for the time being')

ibid. — ibīdem (meaning - 'in the same place')

n.b. — nota bene (meaning - 'note well')

p.p. — per procurationem (meaning - 'on behalf of')

etc. — et cetera (meaning - 'and so on')
i.e. — id est (meaning - 'that is')
viz. — videlicet (meaning - 'that is to say', 'namely')
e.g. — exempli gratia (meaning - 'for the sake of example')
per se — (meaning - 'by itself')
bona fide — (meaning - 'with good faith')
vice versa — (meaning - 'the other way around')
pro bono — (meaning - 'for the good')
quid pro quo — (meaning - 'something for something')


r.s.v.p. — répondez, s'il vous plaît (French phrase, meaning - respond, if you please)