acronym
noun
ac·ro·nym ˈa-krə-ˌnim 
: a word (such as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term
also : an abbreviation (such as FBI) formed from initial letters : initialism
acronymic
ˌa-krə-ˈni-mik
adjective acronymically
ˌa-krə-ˈni-mi-k(ə-)lē
adverb 
Example Sentences
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is known by the acronym “NATO.”
Recent Examples on the Web The Vantablack dial, which Moser first introduced as a concept in 2019 with the Venturer Concept Vantablack, is a carbon material, which gets its name from the acronym VANTA (Vertically Aligned Nano Tube Arrays). 
Carol Besler, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 So scientists have tried for years to find ways to break down PFAS, an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 18 Aug. 2022 The 40-acre site is part of the 160-acre Canterfield Corporate Campus, which is north of Interstate 90, east of Route 31 and owned by HLC Partners, an acronym for Haeger Land Corp. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022 This is called your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME), which is a misleading acronym since only pre age-60 earnings are actually indexed. Laurence Kotlikoff, Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022 The Russian businessman, who speaks six languages, was arrested in a sting operation in 2008 led by US drug enforcement agents in Thailand posing as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the acronym FARC. Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, 27 July 2022 Unfortunately, its acronym SCRI isn’t pithy or memorable like SHIELD or SPECTRE. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 July 2022 The United States and apartheid-era South Africa supported the MPLA’s chief military rival, known by the acronym UNITA, fueling a ruinous superpower proxy war for control of Angola. Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 8 July 2022 The return-to-office/work-from-home tug of war has even spawned an acronym war: RTO vs. WFH. Katie Johnston, BostonGlobe.com, 4 July 2022 See More
Carol Besler, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 So scientists have tried for years to find ways to break down PFAS, an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 18 Aug. 2022 The 40-acre site is part of the 160-acre Canterfield Corporate Campus, which is north of Interstate 90, east of Route 31 and owned by HLC Partners, an acronym for Haeger Land Corp. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022 This is called your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME), which is a misleading acronym since only pre age-60 earnings are actually indexed. Laurence Kotlikoff, Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022 The Russian businessman, who speaks six languages, was arrested in a sting operation in 2008 led by US drug enforcement agents in Thailand posing as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the acronym FARC. Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, 27 July 2022 Unfortunately, its acronym SCRI isn’t pithy or memorable like SHIELD or SPECTRE. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 July 2022 The United States and apartheid-era South Africa supported the MPLA’s chief military rival, known by the acronym UNITA, fueling a ruinous superpower proxy war for control of Angola. Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 8 July 2022 The return-to-office/work-from-home tug of war has even spawned an acronym war: RTO vs. WFH. Katie Johnston, BostonGlobe.com, 4 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
probably borrowed from German Akronym, Akronymon, from akr- acr- + -onym, -onymon -onym
First Known Use
1940, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
acronym
noun
ac·ro·nym ˈa-krə-ˌnim
: a word formed from the first letter or letters of the words of a compound term
The word "radar" is an acronym for "radio detecting and ranging."