What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sigla
Example
The sigla 'UNESCO' stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. [sigla: noun]
Example
The author used sigla to shorten the lengthy book titles in the bibliography. [sigla: plural noun]
initialism
Example
The initialism 'NASA' stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. [initialism: noun]
Example
The CEO used initialisms like 'ROI' and 'KPI' in the presentation to save time. [initialism: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Initialism is more commonly used than sigla in everyday language. Initialism is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while sigla is less common and refers to a specific type of abbreviation used in academic or scholarly writing.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sigla and initialism?
Both sigla and initialism can be used in formal and informal contexts, but sigla is more commonly associated with academic or scholarly writing, which tends to be more formal.
