The Pentrace Guide to Acronyms & Initialisms
Every now & then someone asks for help understanding the acronyms & initialisms they see here and elsewhere around the Net, so I put this together.
If anyone would like to contribute additional acronyms (especially the pen-specific ones) -- or to correct any errors I may have made, for that matter -- I'll maintain the list. -- Linda B.
All-Purpose Acronyms
These acronyms are in general use in the wired world. Most originate in the world of IRC (Internet Relay Chat) chat rooms.
- BEG -- Big Evil Grin
- BFTB or BFYB -- Bang For The [or Your] Buck
- BTW -- By The Way...
- FWIW -- For What It's Worth
- G -- Grin
- IIRC -- If I Remember [or Recall] Correctly
- IMHO -- In My Humble Opinion
- IMNSHO -- In My Not So Humble Opinion
- IMNTBHO -- In My Never To Be Humble Opinion
- IMVHO -- In My Very Humble Opinion
- IMO -- In My Opinion
- LOL -- Laughing Out Loud
- RO[T]FL -- Rolling On [The] Floor Laughing
- RO[T]FLMAO -- Rolling On [The] Floor Laughing My A$$ Off
- RO[T]FLMBO -- Rolling On [The] Floor Laughing My Butt Off
- RO[T]FLMAOAPMP -- Rolling On [The] Floor Laughing My A$$ Off And Peeing My Pants
- RO[T]FLMAOASTC -- Rolling On [The] Floor Laughing My A$$ Off And Scaring The Cat
- TTFN -- Ta-ta For Now
- TTYL -- Talk To You Later
- VBG -- Very Big Grin
- VBEG -- Very Big Evil Grin
- VVBG -- Very Very Big Grin
- YMMV -- Your Mileage May Vary (i.e., your results/opinion may differ)
Pen-Specific Acronyms
These acronyms are specific to the pen world. Some collectors or dealers may use slight variations on these.
- BCHR -- Black Chased Hard Rubber
- BHR -- Black Hard Rubber
- BF -- Button Filler
- BP -- Ballpoint
- C/C -- Cartridge/Converter [fill method]
- CF or C/F -- Cartridge Filler
- CS or C/S -- Conway Stewart
- ED -- Eye-Dropper
- EX -- Excellent (condition)
- FPH -- Fountain Pen Hospital
- FPOTW -- Fountain Pens Of The World [book by Andreas Lambrou]
- GF -- Gold-Filled
- GP -- Gold Plate[d]
- LE -- Limited Edition
- LF -- Lever-Fill[ed]
- MB -- Mont Blanc
- MIB -- Mint In Box [condition - i.e., all original; never dipped or filled]
- MP -- Mechanical Pencil
- NM -- Near Mint [condition]
- NMIB -- Near Mint In Box
- NOS -- New Old Stock
- OS or O/S -- Oversize [i.e., extra large/long]
- PF -- Piston-Fill[er]
- PFM -- [Sheaffer's] Pen For Men
- RB -- Roller Ball
- RCHR -- Red Chased Hard Rubber
- RHR -- Red Hard Rubber
- RG -- Rolled Gold
- SS or S/S -- Sterling Silver
Nibs
These acronyms are used to describe nibs. Some collectors, manufacturers or dealers may use slight variations on these.
- B -- Broad
- BB -- Double-Broad
- BBB -- Triple-Broad
- EF -- Extra-Fine
- F -- Fine
- I -- Italic
- LO -- Left Oblique [i.e., for left-handed writer]
- M -- Medium
- OB -- Oblique Broad
- OBB -- Oblique Double-Broad
- OF -- Oblique Fine
- OM -- Oblique Medium
- RO -- Reverse Oblique (aka Left Oblique)
- S -- Stub
- S/F -- Semi-Flex[ible]
- XF -- Extra-Fine