3. The form to which a word or phrase is reduced by contraction and omission; a letter or letters, standing for a word or phrase of which they are a part; as, Gen. for Genesis; U.S.A. for United States of America.
4. (Mus.) One dash, or more, through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, or demi-semiquavers. Moore.
Ab*bre"vi*a`tor (&?;), n. [LL.: cf. F. abbréviateur.] 1. One who abbreviates or shortens.
2. One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose duty is to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into official form.
Ab*bre"vi*a*to*ry (&?;), a. Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.
Ab*bre"vi*a*ture (&?;), n. 1. An abbreviation; an abbreviated state or form. [Obs.]