Word or phrase that everyone knows or has heard of, but no one knows its underlying meaning
1
What word or phrase can describe terms like:
- Wi-Fi
- AM/FM
- AM/PM
- RSVP
- "etc."
- "i.e."
and so on? In other words, what word or phrase could be used to describe a word or phrase that "everyone knows the word, but no one knows what it means/stands for/et cetera?"
word-usage expressions
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
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El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
1
What word or phrase can describe terms like:
- Wi-Fi
- AM/FM
- AM/PM
- RSVP
- "etc."
- "i.e."
and so on? In other words, what word or phrase could be used to describe a word or phrase that "everyone knows the word, but no one knows what it means/stands for/et cetera?"
word-usage expressions
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday
add a comment |
1
1
1
What word or phrase can describe terms like:
- Wi-Fi
- AM/FM
- AM/PM
- RSVP
- "etc."
- "i.e."
and so on? In other words, what word or phrase could be used to describe a word or phrase that "everyone knows the word, but no one knows what it means/stands for/et cetera?"
word-usage expressions
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What word or phrase can describe terms like:
- Wi-Fi
- AM/FM
- AM/PM
- RSVP
- "etc."
- "i.e."
and so on? In other words, what word or phrase could be used to describe a word or phrase that "everyone knows the word, but no one knows what it means/stands for/et cetera?"
word-usage expressions
word-usage expressions
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited yesterday
El Ectric
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
asked yesterday
El EctricEl Ectric
62
62
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
El Ectric is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday
add a comment |
1
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday
1
1
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday
add a comment |
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1
Except for Wi-Fi, all of those words actually do have an underlying meaning. Wi-Fi, however, never stood for anything else when it was coined. It simply was what it was, despite some people's attempts to ascribe meaning to it after the fact. (Who assume it means wireless fidelity. Except that it doesn't.)
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
+1. I interpret this question as asking for a word that covers abbreviations that have become so commonly used that an ordinary person might not know what the original expanded version is. We EL&U contributors are of course so knowledgeable that we know all of them, but let's find the word that the rest of the English-speaking world might find useful...
– Chappo
yesterday