CAS standard abbreviations and acronyms

Introduction

In CAS databases, certain abbreviations and acronyms are automatically generated for terms in the abstract text, the keyword phrases, and the text modifying phrases for index entries. Most of these abbreviations have been used prior to 1982. Users  need to know these standard abbreviations and acronyms to be able to use them in search profiles and identify them in text.

In this document, automatically generated abbreviations and acronyms in CAS publications and services are arranged in two lists. To guide users to abbreviations they need to include in their search profiles, Listing A is arranged in the alphabetical order of the full terms which are abbreviated. Do not use periods when searching CAS abbreviations or acronyms online. To provide explanation of abbreviations encountered in text, Listing B is arranged in the alphabetical order of abbreviations and acronyms.

Examples and Lists included on this web page:

• Examples of some terms ending in "-ology" that are abbreviated "-ol."
• Examples of some terms ending in "-ography" that are abbreviated "-og."
• Abbreviations for some common prefixed terms
• Automatic retrieval of CAS abbreviations on STN
• SET ABB ON to retrieve CAS abbreviations
• Online help message
• Listing A (arranged in alphabetical order of the full terms which are abbreviated)--Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Listing B (arranged in alphabetical order of abbreviations and acronyms)--Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Characters and Symbols in Computer-Readable Files
• Conventions for Representing Greek Letters in Computer-Readable Files
• Conventions for Representing Symbols in Computer-Readable Files

In addition to the terms specifically listed as standard abbreviations and acronyms, abbreviations are automatically generated for the following types of words:

1. Words formed by adding prefixes to terms normally abbreviated may also be abbreviated, e.g., "microchem." for "microchemical." In Listing A, words indicated by # on the left are those which, if prefixed, are generally abbreviated. (See, Abbreviations for some common prefixed terms)
2. Words ending in "-ology" or "-ologic(al)(ly)" are abbreviated "-ol.," e.g., "geol." for "geology." (See examples)
3. Words ending in "-ography" or "-ographic(al)(ly)" are abbreviated "-og.," E.g., "chromatog." For "chromatographic." (See examples)
4. Plurals of noun abbreviations are formed by adding "s" to the singular abbreviation, e.g., "derivs." For "derivatives." Two exceptions are cases when a single abbreviation is designated to show both the singular and plural forms (e.g., "equil." For "equilibrium(s)" and words marked on the list with an asterisk (*) whose plurals are not abbreviated.
5. Verb forms that require "s" are abbreviated by adding "s" to the listed abbreviation, e.g., "Compd. decomps. on heating" for "Compound decomposes on heating."

Standard abbreviations and acronyms are not automatically generated for terms appearing in titles. However, in titles abbreviations used by the author may appear.

In addition to the standard, automatically generated abbreviations and acronyms, other acronyms, atomic symbols (e.g., Cl, Sb), and molecular formulas (e.g., NaCl) may also be used in CAS publications and services.

Examples of some terms ending in "-ology" that are abbreviated "-ol."

    anesthesiology                       limnology 
    bacteriology                         meteorology 
    biology                              methodology 
    cardiology                           morphology 
    chronology                           nephrology 
    cytology                             neurology 
    dermatology                          oncology 
    ecology                              ophthalmology 
    endocrinology                        pathology 
    enzymology                           petrology 
    epidemiology                         pharmacology 
    etiology                             physiology 
    gastroenterology                     radiology 
    geology                              rheology 
    gynecology                           sedimentology 
    hematology                           serology 
    histology                            technology 
    homology                             teratology 
    hydrology                            topology 
    immunology                           virology

Abbreviation "-ol." is also applied to the adjective form, e.g., "pharmacologic(al)," the adverb form, e.g., "pharmacologically" and prefixed forms, e.g., "neuropharmacology" of terms ending in "-ology."

Examples of some terms ending in "-ography" that are abbreviated "-og.":

angiography            metallography 
 bibliography           micrography 
 biography              oceanography 
 cardiography           petrography 
 cholecystography       photography 
 chromatography         planography 
 crystallography        polarography 
 derivatography         radiography 
 electroencephalography reprography 
 electrography          spectrography 
 fractography           thermography 
 fragmentography        tomography 
 geography              topography 
 holography             xerography 
 lithography 

Abbreviation "og." is also applied to the adjective form, e.g., "geographic(al)," the adverb form, e.g., "geographically," and prefixed forms, e.g., "paleogeography" of terms ending in "-ography."

Abbreviations for some common prefixed terms *

anal. (analysis)
electroanal.
immunoanal.
microanal.
radioanal.
thermoanal.
at. [atomic(al)(ly)]
diat.
interat.
monoat.
polyat.
tetraat.
triat.
chem. [chemical(ly), chemistry]
agrochem.
biochem.
cytochem.
electrochem.
geochem.
histochem.
immunochem.
neurochem.
petrochem.
photochem.
physicochem.
radiochem.
spectrochem.
thermochem.
clin. [clinic(al)(ly)]
preclin.
Subclin.
cond. (conductivity)
electrocond.
magnetocond.
photocond.
semicond.
supercond.
thermocond.
crystn. (crystallization)
cocrystn.
electrocrystn.
recrystn.
decompn. (decomposition)
photodecompn.
degrdn. (degradation)
biodegrdn.
photodegrdn.
thermodegrdn.
detn. (determination)
immunodetn.
microdetn.
dissocn. (dissociation)
photodissocn.
predissocn.
elec. [electric(al)(ly)]
acoustoelec.
bioelec.
dielec.
ferroelec.
isoelec.
paraelec.
photodielec.
photoelec.
piezoelec.
pyroelec.
thermoelec.
equil. (equilibrium)
disequil.
nonequil.
preequil.
extn. (extraction)
coextn.
electroextn.
reextn.  Hb (hemoglobin)
cargonylHb
carboxyHb
deoxyHb
ferriHb
metHb
oxyHb
sulfHb
irradn. (irradiation)
postirradn.
preirradn.
mech. [mechanic(al)(ly)]
biomech.
electromech.
micromech.
photomech.
physicomech.
thermomech.
mol. (molecule, molecular)
bimol.
intermol.
intramol.
macromol.
monomol.
supermol.
supramol.
turbomol.
unimol.
org. [organic(ally)]
bioinorg.
bioorg.
chloroorg.
electroorg.
fluoroorg.
inorg.
metalloorg.
microorg.
oxidn. (oxidation)
autoxidn.
biooxidn. 
cooxidn.
deoxidn.
electrooxidn.
epoxidn.
peroxidn.
photooxidn.
reoxidn.
thermooxidn.
pptn. (precipitation)
copptn.
immunopptn.
soly. (solubility)
hydrosoly.
insoly.
liposoly.
sym. [symmetry, symmetric(al)(ly)]
asym.
unsym.

* See "Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms," Listing A for a complete list of terms which, if prefixed, are generally abbreviated.

Automatic retrieval of CAS abbreviations on STN

In CAS bibliographic files on STN, e.g., CAplus or CA, you can retrieve CAS abbreviations automatically. Simply enter the commands SET ABB ON and SET PLURAL ON at an arrow prompt.

When you SET ABB ON, abbreviations are generated for all terms searched in the Basic Index, or in the specific fields that comprise the Basic Index. A separate posting line appears if any occurrences of an abbreviation are found. When you SET PLURAL ON, you also automatically retrieve plural abbreviations.

The default for SET ABB is OFF. To include abbreviations for all SEARCH and QUERY commands in your session, enter SET ABB ON at an arrow prompt. To retain the ON setting beyond the current session, enter SET ABB ON PERM.

Not all CAS standard abbreviations are available with SET ABB. CAS abbreviations for most units and multiword terms have been removed to keep false drops and irrelevant retrievals to a minimum. To see a list of terms for which abbreviations will be added, enter HELP ABB at an arrow prompt (=>) in the file. For more information on this SET command, enter HELP SET ABB at an arrow prompt.

SET ABB ON to retrieve CAS abbreviations

=> SET ABB ON PERM SET COMMAND COMPLETED
=> SET PLURAL ON PERM SET COMMAND COMPLETED
=> S PRECIPITAT?   35280 PRECIPITAT?
  75559 PPT
  30694 PPTS
  98131 PPT
   (PPT OR PPTS)   59648 PPTD
      2 PPTDS
  59648 PPTD
   (PPTD OR PPTDS)
  13101 PPTG
 131576 PPTN    1980 PPTNS
 132847 PPTN
   (PPTN OR PPTNS)
L1  258048 PRECIPITAT? PRECIPITAT? OR PPT OR PPTD OR PPTG OR PPTN)

Online help message

=> FILE CAPLUS => HELP ABB When you SET ABBREVIATONS ON, abbreviations are automatically generated for the terms in the following list when the term or a truncated stem that would encompass a listed term is searched  in the Basic Index, or in the specific fields that comprise the Basic Index.

Examples:
=> SET ABB ON SET COMMAND COMPLETED
=> S CONCENTRAT?
149313 CONCENTRAT?
50824 CONC
115142 CONCD
9541 CONCG
1035004 CONCN
L2 1221846 CONCENTRAT? (CONCENTRAT? OR CONC OR CONCD OR CONCG OR CONCN)
For more information on this SET option, enter HELP SET ABB  at an arrow prompt (=>). For a list of fields in the Basic Index, enter HELP SFIELDS at an arrow prompt in this file.  
ABSOLUTE             DILUTED               PRECIPITATE  
ABSTRACT             DILUTING              PRECIPITATED  
ADDITION             DILUTION              PRECIPITATING  
ADDITIONAL           DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE     PRECIPITATION  
ADDITIONALLY         DISSOCIATE            PREPARATION  
ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN 
DISSOCIATED           PREPARE  
ALCOHOL              DISSOCIATING          PREPARED  
ALCOHOLIC            DISSOCIATION          PREPARING  
ALIPHATIC            DISTILLATION          PRODUCTION  
ALKALINE             DISTILLED             PROPYL  
ALKALINITY           DISTILLING            PURIFICATION            DECOMPOSING          ORGANIC               FLAVIN ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE  
DECOMPOSITION        OXIDATION             FLAVIN MONONUCLEOTIDE  
DEGRADATION          PHENYL                INHIBITORY 
DOSE  
DEOXYRIBONUCLEASE   
PHYSICAL              LETHAL DOSE  
DERIVATIVE           PHYSICALLY            LUTEINIZING HORMONE  
DETERMINATION        POLYMERIZATION        NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE  
DETERMINE            POLYMERIZED           NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE  
DETERMINED           POLYMERIZING          NUCLEAR QUADRUPOLE RESONANCE  
DETERMINING          POSITIVE              RIBONUCLEIC ACID  
DIAMETER             POSITIVELY            SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY  
DILUTE               POWDERED              UV PHOTOELECTRON

Listing A

* Terms whose plurals are not automatically abbreviated by adding "s."

# If prefixed, these words are generally abbreviated. For examples, see the list of "Abbreviations for some common prefixed terms" which precedes Listing A.

** For representation in computer-readable files see "Listing of Characters and Symbols in Computer-Readable Files."

Listing B

Characters and Symbols in Computer-Readable Files

In computer-readable files all characters of the Roman alphabet and numbers are represented in the same way as in CAS publications. However, no distinctions are made for italic, boldface, or small capital letters. Also, superscripts and subscripts appear on the line.

Special conventions are used to represent some characters and symbols in computer-readable files. These conventions are shown in the following lists. Some of these characters and symbols can be searched in computer-readable files. For search terms, representations without the periods are used.

Conventions for Representing Greek Letters in Computer-Readable Files

Conventions for Representing Symbols in Computer-Readable Files