Clipped Words
A clipped word is a shortened form of a longer word that keeps the same meaning. We say exam for examination, phone for telephone and flu for influenza. Clipping is one of the most common ways English creates informal vocabulary - and many clipped forms, such as bus and fan, are now more common than the originals.
This guide sorts clipped words by how they were shortened: back-clippings lose the end, fore-clippings lose the beginning, and middle or mixed clippings lose both ends or combine pieces. Each entry shows the full word it came from.
28 entries in this category
Back-Clippings (end removed)
17Short for advertisement.
"I saw an ad for the concert on the bus."
Short for examination.
"Her maths exam is on Monday."
Short for gymnasium.
"He goes to the gym before work."
Short for laboratory.
"The samples were sent to the lab."
Short for mathematics (maths in British English, math in American).
"Maths was always my favourite subject."
Short for photograph.
"Can you take a photo of us by the fountain?"
Short for memorandum.
"The manager sent a memo about the new rota."
Short for information.
"For more info, visit our website."
Short for typographical error.
"There is a typo in the second paragraph."
Short for public house.
"We met at the pub on the corner."
Short for demonstration.
"The band recorded a three-song demo."
Short for limousine.
"They arrived at the prom in a limo."
Short for fanatic.
"She has been a fan of the band since 2010."
Short for delicatessen.
"Grab some olives from the deli."
Short for gasoline (American English).
"We need to stop for gas before the motorway."
Short for condominium.
"They bought a condo near the beach."
Short for university (British and Australian English).
"He is studying history at uni."
Fore-Clippings (start removed)
7Short for telephone.
"Put your phone on silent, please."
Short for aeroplane / airplane.
"The plane landed ten minutes early."
Short for omnibus, Latin for "for everyone".
"I catch the bus at half past eight."
Short for caravan.
"The removal van arrived at nine."
Short for hamburger.
"We grabbed a burger after the film."
Short for helicopter.
"A news copter hovered above the traffic."
Short for cockroach (American English).
"They found a roach under the sink."
Middle & Mixed Clippings
4Short for influenza - both ends removed, keeping the middle.
"Half the class is off with flu."
Short for refrigerator, with a spelling change.
"Put the milk back in the fridge."
Short for pyjamas - the first syllable is dropped.
"The kids were already in their jammies."
A clipped compound of situation + comedy.
"Friends is one of the most famous sitcoms ever made."