| 4to |
quarto |
| 8vo |
octavo |
| A. |
Art, Arts |
| A.C. |
Arts Council |
| Acad. |
Academy |
| Add. |
Additional, Addendum |
| addn |
addition |
| Adv. |
Advances, Advanced |
| Aesth. |
Aesthetic(s) |
| Afr. |
African |
| Afrik. |
Afrikaans, Afrikaner |
| A.G. |
Art Gallery |
| Agrar. |
Agrarian |
| Agric. |
Agriculture |
| Agron. |
Agronomy |
| Agy |
Agency |
| AH |
Anno Hegirae |
| A. Inst. |
Art Institute |
| Alb. |
Albanian |
| Alg. |
Algerian |
| Alta |
Alberta (Canada) |
| Altern. |
Alternative |
| Amat. |
Amateur |
| Amer. |
American |
| An. |
Annals |
| Anatol. |
Anatolian |
| Anc. |
Ancient |
| Annu. |
Annual |
| Ant. |
Antique |
| Anthol. |
Anthology |
| Anthropol. |
Anthropology |
| Antiqua. |
Antiquarian, Antiquaries |
| app. |
appendix |
| ARA |
Associate of the Royal Academy |
| Arab. |
Arabic |
| Archaeol. |
Archaeology |
| Archit. |
Architecture, Architectural |
| Archv, Archvs |
Archive(s) |
| Arg. |
Argentine |
| ARHA |
Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy |
| ARIBA |
Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects |
| Armen. |
Armenian |
| ARSA |
Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy |
| Asiat. |
Asiatic |
| Assist. |
Assistance |
| Astron. |
Astronomy |
| AT&T |
American Telephone & Telegraph Company |
| Aust. |
Austrian |
| Austral. |
Australian |
| Auton. |
Autonomous |
| Aux. |
Auxiliary |
| Azerbaij. |
Azerbaijani |
| B. |
Bartsch [catalogue of Old Master prints] |
| BA |
Bachelor of Arts |
| Balt. |
Baltic |
| bapt |
baptized |
| BArch |
Bachelor of Architecture |
| Bart |
Baronet |
| Bask. |
Basketry |
| BBC |
British Broadcasting Corporation |
| BE |
Buddhist era |
| Behav. |
Behavioural |
| Belarus. |
Belarusian |
| Belg. |
Belgian |
| BFA |
Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| Bibl. |
Bible, Biblical |
| Biblioph. |
Bibliophile |
| Biol. |
Biology, Biological |
| Bkbinder |
Bookbinder |
| bk, bks |
book(s) |
| Bklore |
Booklore |
| Bkshop |
Bookshop |
| BL |
British Library |
| Bld |
Build |
| Bldr |
Builder |
| BLitt |
Bachelor of Letters/Literature |
| BM |
British Museum |
| Boh. |
Bohemian |
| Boliv. |
Bolivian |
| Botan. |
Botany, Botanical |
| BP |
Before present (1950) |
| Braz. |
Brazilian |
| BRD |
Bundesrepublik Deutschland [Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)] |
| Brez. |
Brezonek [lang. of Brittany] |
| Brit. |
British |
| BSc |
Bachelor of Science |
| Bulg. |
Bulgarian |
| Bull. |
Bulletin |
| bur |
buried |
| Burm. |
Burmese |
| Byz. |
Byzantine |
| Cab. |
Cabinet |
| C.A.G. |
City Art Gallery |
| Cal. |
Calendar |
| Callig. |
Calligraphy |
| Cam. |
Camera |
| can |
canonized |
| Can. |
Canadian |
| Cant. |
Canton(s), Cantonal |
| Carib. |
Caribbean |
| Cartog. |
Cartography |
| Cat. |
Catalan |
| cat. |
catalogue |
| Cath. |
Catholic |
| CBE |
Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| Celeb. |
Celebration |
| Celt. |
Celtic |
| Cent. |
Centre, Central |
| Centen. |
Centennial |
| Cer. |
Ceramic |
| Chem. |
Chemistry |
| Chil. |
Chilean |
| Chin. |
Chinese |
| Christ. |
Christian, Christianity |
| Chron. |
Chronicle |
| Cie |
Compagnie [French] |
| Cinema. |
Cinematography |
| Circ. |
Circle |
| Civ. |
Civil, Civic |
| Civiliz. |
Civilization(s) |
| Class. |
Classic, Classical |
| Clin. |
Clinical |
| Cod. |
Codex, Codices |
| Col., Cols |
Collection(s); Column(s) |
| Coll. |
College |
| Collct. |
Collecting |
| Colloq. |
Colloquies |
| Colomb. |
Colombian |
| Colon. |
Colonies, Colonial |
| Colr |
Collector |
| Comm. |
Commission; Community |
| Commerc. |
Commercial |
| Communic. |
Communications |
| Comp. |
Comparative; compiled by, compiler |
| Concent. |
Concentration |
| Concr. |
Concrete |
| Confed. |
Confederation |
| Confer. |
Conference |
| Congol. |
Congolese |
| Congr. |
Congress |
| Conserv. |
Conservation; Conservatory |
| Constr. |
Construction(al) |
| Convalesc. |
Convalescence |
| Convent. |
Convention |
| Coop. |
Cooperation |
| Copt. |
Coptic |
| Corp. |
Corporation, Corpus |
| Corr. |
Correspondence |
| Cors. |
Corsican |
| Cost. |
Costume |
| Cret. |
Cretan |
| Crim. |
Criminal |
| Crit. |
Critical, Criticism |
| Croat. |
Croatian |
| Cttee |
Committee |
| Cub. |
Cuban |
| Cult. |
Cultural, Culture |
| Cumb. |
Cumberland (GB; old) |
| Cur. |
Curator, Curatorial, Curatorship |
| Curr. |
Current(s) |
| CVO |
Commander of the [Royal] Victorian Order |
| Cyclad. |
Cycladic |
| Cyp. |
Cypriot |
| Czech. |
Czechoslovak |
| d. |
denarius, denarii [penny, pence] |
| Dalmat. |
Dalmatian |
| Dan. |
Danish |
| DBE |
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| DDR |
Deutsche Demokratische Republik [German Democratic Republic (East Germany)] |
| Dec. |
Decorative |
| ded. |
dedication, dedicated to |
| Democ. |
Democracy, Democratic |
| Demog. |
Demography, Demographic |
| Denbs |
Denbighshire (GB; old) |
| dep. |
deposited at |
| Des. |
Design |
| Dev. |
Development |
| Dial. |
Dialogue |
| diam. |
diameter |
| Diff. |
Diffusion |
| Dig. |
Digest |
| Dip. Eng. |
Diploma in Engineering |
| Dir. |
Direction, Directed |
| Directrt |
Directorate |
| Disc. |
Discussion |
| Distr. |
District |
| Div. |
Division |
| DLitt |
Doctor of Letters/Literature |
| Doc. |
Document(s) |
| Doss. |
Dossier |
| DPhil |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Drg, Drgs |
Drawing(s) |
| DSc |
Doctor of Science/Historical Sciences |
| Dut. |
Dutch |
| Dwell. |
Dwelling |
| EC |
European (Economic) Community |
| Eccles. |
Ecclesiastical |
| Econ. |
Economic, Economies |
| Ecuad. |
Ecuadorean |
| Educ. |
Education |
| Egyp. |
Egyptian |
| Elem. |
Element(s), Elementary |
| Emp. |
Empirical |
| Emul. |
Emulation |
| Enc. |
Encyclopedia |
| Encour. |
Encouragement |
| Eng. |
English |
| Engin. |
Engineer, Engineering |
| Engr., Engrs |
Engraving(s) |
| Envmt |
Environment |
| Epig. |
Epigraphy |
| Episc. |
Episcopal |
| Ess. |
Essays |
| Ethnog. |
Ethnography |
| Ethnol. |
Ethnology |
| Etrus. |
Etruscan |
| Eur. |
European |
| Evangel. |
Evangelical |
| Excav. |
Excavation, Excavated |
| Exch. |
Exchange |
| Excurs. |
Excursion |
| Exp. |
Exposition |
| Expermntl |
Experimental |
| Explor. |
Exploration |
| Expn |
Expansion |
| Ext. |
External |
| Extn |
Extension |
| F.A. |
Fine Art(s) |
| Fac. |
Faculty |
| facs. |
facsimile |
| Fam. |
Family |
| fasc. |
fascicle |
| fd |
feastday (of a saint) |
| Fed. |
Federation, Federal |
| Fem. |
Feminist |
| Fest. |
Festival |
| f, ff |
following page, following pages |
| Filip. |
Filipina(s), Filipino(s) |
| Fin. |
Finnish |
| Flem. |
Flemish |
| Flints |
Flintshire (GB; old) |
| Flk |
Folk |
| Flklore |
Folklore |
| fol., fols |
folio(s) |
| Found. |
Foundation |
| Fr. |
French |
| frag. |
fragment |
| FRIBA |
Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects |
| FRS |
Fellow of the Royal Society, London |
| Furn. |
Furniture |
| Futur. |
Futurist, Futurism |
| Gael. |
Gaelic |
| Gal., Gals |
Gallery, Galleries |
| Gaz. |
Gazette |
| Gdn, Gdns |
Garden(s) |
| Gdnr(s) |
Gardener(s) |
| Gen. |
General |
| Geneal. |
Genealogy, Genealogist |
| Gent. |
Gentleman, Gentlemen |
| Geog. |
Geography |
| Geol. |
Geology |
| Geom. |
Geometry |
| Georg. |
Georgian |
| Geosci. |
Geoscience |
| Ger. |
German, Germanic |
| G.I. |
Government/General Issue (USA) |
| Gr. |
Greek |
| Graph. |
Graphic |
| Green. |
Greenlandic |
| Gr.-Roman |
Greco-Roman |
| Gt |
Great |
| Gtr |
Greater |
| Guat. |
Guatemalan |
| Gym. |
Gymnasium |
| ha |
hectare |
| Hait. |
Haitian |
| Hb. |
Handbook |
| Heb. |
Hebrew |
| Hell. |
Hellenic |
| Her. |
Heritage |
| Herald. |
Heraldry, Heraldic |
| Hib. |
Hibernia |
| Hisp. |
Hispanic |
| Hist. |
History, Historical |
| Horiz. |
Horizon |
| Hort. |
Horticulture |
| Hosp. |
Hospital(s) |
| Human. |
Humanities, Humanism |
| Hung. |
Hungarian |
| ICA |
Institute of Contemporary Arts |
| Ice. |
Icelandic |
| Iconog. |
Iconography |
| Iconol. |
Iconology |
| Imp. |
Imperial |
| inc. |
incomplete |
| Ind. |
Indian |
| Indep. |
Independent |
| Indig. |
Indigenous |
| Indol. |
Indology |
| Indon. |
Indonesian |
| Indust. |
Industrial |
| Inf. |
Information |
| Inq. |
Inquiry |
| Inscr. |
Inscribed, Inscription |
| Inst. |
Institute(s) |
| Inst. A. |
Institute of Art |
| Instr. |
Instrument, Instrumental |
| Int. |
International |
| Intell. |
Intelligence |
| Inter. |
Interior(s), Internal |
| Interdiscip. |
Interdisciplinary |
| inv. |
inventory |
| Inven. |
Invention |
| Invest. |
Investigation(s) |
| Iran. |
Iranian |
| irreg. |
irregular(ly) |
| Islam. |
Islamic |
| Isr. |
Israeli |
| It. |
Italian |
| J. |
Journal |
| Jam. |
Jamaican |
| Jap. |
Japanese |
| Jav. |
Javanese |
| Jew. |
Jewish |
| Jewel. |
Jewellery |
| Jord. |
Jordanian |
| Juris. |
Jurisdiction |
| KBE |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| KCVO |
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| Knowl. |
Knowledge |
| Kor. |
Korean |
| Kyrgyz. |
Kyrgyzstani |
| l. |
length |
| Lab. |
Laboratory |
| Lang. |
Language(s) |
| Lat. |
Latin |
| Latv. |
Latvian |
| Leb. |
Lebanese |
| Lect. |
Lecture |
| Legis. |
Legislative |
| Lex. |
Lexicon |
| Liber. |
Liberian |
| Lib., Libs |
Library, Libraries |
| Libsp |
Librarianship |
| Lit. |
Literature |
| Lith. |
Lithuanian |
| Liturg. |
Liturgical |
| LLB |
Bachelor of Laws |
| LLD |
Doctor of Laws |
| MA |
Master of Arts; Massachusetts (USA) |
| Mag. |
Magazine |
| Maint. |
Maintenance |
| Malay. |
Malaysian |
| Man. |
Manitoba (Canada); Manual |
| Manuf. |
Manufactures |
| Mar. |
Marine, Maritime |
| Mason. |
Masonic |
| Mat. |
Material(s) |
| MBE |
Member of the Order of the British Empire |
| MD |
Doctor of Medicine; Maryland (USA) |
| Mech. |
Mechanical |
| Med. |
Medieval; Medium, Media |
| Medic. |
Medical, Medicine |
| Medit. |
Mediterranean |
| Mem. |
Memorial(s); Memoir(s) |
| Meso-Amer. |
Meso-American |
| Mesop. |
Mesopotamian |
| Met. |
Metropolitan |
| Metal. |
Metallurgy |
| Mex. |
Mexican |
| MFA |
Master of Fine Arts |
| Mgmt |
Management |
| Mgr |
Monsignor |
| Micrones. |
Micronesian |
| Mid. Amer. |
Middle American |
| Mid. E. |
Middle Eastern |
| Mid. Eng. |
Middle English |
| Mil. |
Military |
| Mill. |
Millennium |
| Min. |
Ministry; Minutes |
| Miss. |
Mission(s) |
| Mnmtl |
Monumental |
| Mnmt, Mnmts |
Monument(s) |
| Mod. |
Modern, Modernist |
| Moldav. |
Moldavian |
| Moldov. |
Moldovan |
| MOMA |
Museum of Modern Art |
| Mongol. |
Mongolian |
| Mor. |
Moral |
| Morav. |
Moravian |
| Moroc. |
Moroccan |
| Movt |
Movement |
| MPhil |
Master of Philosophy |
| MSc |
Master of Science |
| MS., MSS |
manuscript(s) |
| Mthly |
Monthly |
| Mun. |
Municipal |
| Mus. |
Museum(s) |
| Mus. A. |
Museum of Art |
| Mus. F.A. |
Museum of Fine Art(s) |
| Music. |
Musicology |
| N. |
North(ern); National |
| n |
refractive index of a medium |
| n. |
note |
| N.A.G. |
National Art Gallery |
| Nat. |
Natural, Nature |
| Naut. |
Nautical |
| n.d. |
no date |
| Neth. |
Netherlandish |
| Newslett. |
Newsletter |
| N.G. |
National Gallery |
| N.G.A. |
National Gallery of Art |
| Niger. |
Nigerian |
| nm |
nanometre (10-9 metre) |
| nn. |
notes |
| Nord. |
Nordic |
| Norm. |
Normal |
| Norw. |
Norwegian |
| n.p. |
no place (of publication) |
| N.P.G. |
National Portrait Gallery |
| Nr E. |
Near Eastern |
| n. s. |
new series |
| NT |
National Trust |
| Ntbk |
Notebook |
| Numi. |
Numismatic(s) |
| OBE |
Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Obj. |
Object(s), Objective |
| Occas. |
Occasional |
| Occident. |
Occidental |
| Ocean. |
Oceania |
| OFM |
Order of Friars Minor |
| Olymp. |
Olympic |
| OM |
Order of Merit |
| op. |
opus |
| opp. |
opposite; opera [pl. of opus] |
| Orient. |
Oriental |
| Orthdx |
Orthodox |
| OSB |
Order of St Benedict |
| Ott. |
Ottoman |
| p |
pence |
| p.a. |
per annum |
| Pak. |
Pakistani |
| Palaeontol. |
Palaeontology, Palaeontological |
| Palest. |
Palestinian |
| Pap. |
Paper(s) |
| para. |
paragraph |
| Parag. |
Paraguayan |
| Parl. |
Parliament |
| Paroch. |
Parochial |
| Patriarch. |
Patriarchate |
| Patriot. |
Patriotic |
| Patrm. |
Patrimony |
| Pav. |
Pavilion |
| Per. |
Period |
| Percep. |
Perceptions |
| Perf. |
Performance, Performing, Performed |
| Period. |
Periodical(s) |
| Pers. |
Persian |
| Persp. |
Perspectives |
| Peru. |
Peruvian |
| PhD |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| Philol. |
Philology |
| Philos. |
Philosophy |
| Phoen. |
Phoenician |
| Phot. |
Photograph, Photography, Photographic |
| Phys. |
Physician(s), Physics, Physique, Physical |
| Physiog. |
Physiognomy |
| Physiol. |
Physiology |
| Pict. |
Picture(s), Pictorial |
| pl. |
plate; plural |
| Plan. |
Planning |
| Planet. |
Planetarium |
| Plast. |
Plastic |
| pls |
plates |
| Polit. |
Political |
| Poly. |
Polytechnic |
| Polynes. |
Polynesian |
| Pop. |
Popular |
| Port. |
Portuguese |
| Port. |
Portfolio |
| Posth. |
Posthumous(ly) |
| Pott. |
Pottery |
| PRA |
President of the Royal Academy |
| Pract. |
Practical |
| Prefect. |
Prefecture, Prefectural |
| Preserv. |
Preservation |
| priv. |
private |
| PRO |
Public Record Office |
| Prob. |
Problem(s) |
| Proc. |
Proceedings |
| Prod. |
Production |
| Prog. |
Progress |
| Proj. |
Project(s) |
| Promot. |
Promotion |
| Prop. |
Property, Properties |
| Prov. |
Province(s), Provincial |
| Proven. |
Provenance |
| Prtg |
Printing |
| Prt, Prts |
Print(s) |
| Psych. |
Psychiatry, Psychiatric |
| Psychol. |
Psychology, Psychological |
| pt |
part |
| Ptg(s) |
Painting(s) |
| Pub. |
Public |
| Publ. |
Publicity |
| PVA |
polyvinyl acetate |
| PVC |
polyvinyl chloride |
| Q. |
quarterly |
| QuŽ. |
QuŽbec (Canada) |
| R |
reprint |
| r |
recto |
| RA |
Royal Academician |
| Radnors |
Radnorshire (GB; old) |
| RAF |
Royal Air Force |
| Rec. |
Record(s) |
| red. |
reduction, reduced for |
| Ref. |
Reference |
| Refurb. |
Refurbishment |
| reg |
regit [ruled] |
| Reg. |
Regional |
| Relig. |
Religion, Religious |
| remod. |
remodelled |
| Ren. |
Renaissance |
| Rep. |
Report(s) |
| Represent. |
Representation, Representative |
| Res. |
Research |
| rest. |
restored, restoration |
| Retro. |
Retrospective |
| Rev. |
Reverend; Review |
| RHA |
Royal Hibernian Academician |
| RIBA |
Royal Institute of British Architects |
| RJ |
Rio de Janeiro State |
| Rlwy |
Railway |
| RSA |
Royal Scottish Academy |
| RSFSR |
Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic |
| Rur. |
Rural |
| Rus. |
Russian |
| s. |
solidus, solidi [shilling(s)] |
| Scand. |
Scandinavian |
| Sch. |
School |
| Scot. |
Scottish |
| Sculp. |
Sculpture |
| Sel. |
Selected |
| Semin. |
Seminar(s), Seminary |
| Semiot. |
Semiotic |
| Semit. |
Semitic |
| Serb. |
Serbian |
| Serv. |
Service(s) |
| Sess. |
Session, Sessional |
| Settmt(s) |
Settlement(s) |
| Siber. |
Siberian |
| Sig. |
Signature |
| Sil. |
Silesian |
| Sin. |
Singhala |
| sing. |
singular |
| SJ |
Societas Jesu [Society of Jesus] |
| Skt |
Sanskrit |
| Slav. |
Slavic, Slavonic |
| Slov. |
Slovene, Slovenian |
| Soc. |
Society |
| Social. |
Socialism, Socialist |
| Sociol. |
Sociology |
| Sov. |
Soviet |
| SP |
S‹o Paulo State |
| Sp. |
Spanish |
| Sri L. |
Sri Lankan |
| SS |
Saints, Santi, Santissima, Santissimo, Santissimi; Steam ship |
| SSR |
Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Stud. |
Study, Studies |
| Subalp. |
Subalpine |
| Sum. |
Sumerian |
| Sup. |
Superior |
| Surv. |
Survey |
| Swed. |
Swedish |
| Swi. |
Swiss |
| Symp. |
Symposium |
| Syr. |
Syrian |
| Tap. |
Tapestry |
| Tas. |
Tasmanian |
| Tech. |
Technical, Technique |
| Technol. |
Technology |
| Territ. |
Territory |
| Theat. |
Theatre |
| Theol. |
Theology, Theological |
| Theor. |
Theory, Theoretical |
| Tib. |
Tibetan |
| Top. |
Topography |
| Trad. |
Tradition(s), Traditional |
| Transafr. |
Transafrican |
| Transatlant. |
Transatlantic |
| Transcarpath. |
Transcarpathian |
| Triq. |
Triquarterly |
| Tropic. |
Tropical |
| Turk. |
Turkish |
| Turkmen. |
Turkmenistani |
| Ukrain. |
Ukrainian |
| Un. |
Union |
| Underwtr |
Underwater |
| Univl |
Universal |
| Urb. |
Urban |
| Urug. |
Uruguayan |
| v |
verso |
| V&A |
Victoria and Albert Museum |
| Var. |
Various |
| Venez. |
Venezuelan |
| Vern. |
Vernacular |
| Vict. |
Victorian |
| Vid. |
Video |
| Viet. |
Vietnamese |
| viz. |
videlicet [namely] |
| Vulg. |
Vulgarisation |
| Wkly |
Weekly |
| Wtrcol. |
Watercolour |
| Yb., Y.-b. |
Yearbook, Year-book |
| Yem. |
Yemeni |
| Yug. |
Yugoslavian |
| Zamb. |
Zambian |
| Zimb. |
Zimbabwean |
