ab·bre·vi·ate 
(ə-brēvē-āt′)
(ə-brēvē-āt′)tr.v. ab·bre·vi·at·ed, ab·bre·vi·at·ing, ab·bre·vi·ates
1. To make shorter: abbreviated the meeting to make time for your visit. See Synonyms at shorten.
2. To reduce (a word or phrase) to a shorter form intended to represent the full form.
[Middle English abbreviaten, from Late Latin abbreviāre, abbreviāt- : ad-, ad- + breviāre, to shorten (from brevis, short; see mregh-u- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]
ab·brevi·a′tor n.