Skip to main content

anticronym 

Another name for "RAS syndrome" (short for Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome) -- redundantly using a word in connection with an acronym or initialism that already contains the word. "ATM machine" is an example: the phrase literally refers to an "Automatic Teller Machine machine".
Enter your PIN number when the ATM machine prompts for it on the LCD display.
(That sentence contains several anticronyms.)
anticronym by Grinning Cat January 6, 2015
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.

anticronym 

Doubling the usage of a word within an acronym.
An example of an anticronym is when speaking about an “ATM machine” - the word “machine” repeats what the “M” in “ATM” stands for. It’s like saying “Automatic Teller Machine Machine”. Another example would be “PIN number” where the word “number” repeats the meaning of the letter “N”
anticronym by Windsurfer Steve June 18, 2011

Anacronym 

1. An acronym created by a small, isolated group with the intent of increasing the celerity of text-based communication. Such an acronym suffers from the same problems as and can include workspace jargon. Anacronyms commonly, but not always result from putting two or more of the following types of people in a chatroom: computer programmers, MMORPG players (case in point), pre-pubescent females, GI's, and/or slow typists.

The irony of such an acronym demonstrates itself because of the acronym's tendency towards the specific and arcane. Namely, an individual desensitized to the use of the acronym (not exceedingly dissimilar to the individual who no longer notices his/her own swearing) will attempt to use the acronym in a textual conversation with an individual not familiar with the group of individuals or the acronym in question. This invariably leads to a message of one or more marks of interrogative punctuation by the uninformed party. Taking the time to explain the meaning of the letter sequence, the informed party defeats the intended purpose of the acronym by possibly increasing the length of text sent by upwards of four lines.

2. A usually nonverbalized acronym which has been verbalized. This is considered a taboo in most situations. The individuals to whom the offending party has "anacronyzed" will most likely look incredulously at the offender.

3. A completely unnecessary acronym. Almost every acronym in this third definition pertains to the first definition.

4. A misused acronym.
1. The following is a textual conversation:

Friend A: So then I jumped off of the roof!

Friend B: WAYTTP?

Friend A: ?????????????

Friend B: What Are You Trying To Prove?

Friend A: Well, why didn't you just say that to begin with?

Friend B: I thought you knew that one.

Friend A: I don't play Counter Strike. Way to use an anacronym.

Friend B: Oh. Sorry.

2. The following is a nontextual conversation:

Friend A: TTYL

Friend B: *Incredulous stare for three to five seconds* Did you just use an anacronym?

Friend A: What?

3. KMAG YO-YO. Kiss My Ass Guys, You're On Your Own

Amusing, but useless.

4. The following conversation is textual:

Lover A: Do you want to go to the dance/ice cream social/moon with me?

Lover B: WTF?

Lover A: That caustic reply has caused me to mutilate myself/be emotionally scarred for life/commit suicide.

Lover B: Why did you overreact so much/decide to text me that you have killed yourself/not know that WTF means Why That sounds Fantastic?

The following is assumed:

Lover A can not come to their computer now because they are cutting their wrists/crying in a corner/dead.
Anacronym by Green A Gzenham July 11, 2009

anacronym 

an expression consisting of words shown in full, not as an acronym.
'United States of America' is an anacronym for the acronym 'USA'.
anacronym by uttam maharjan June 2, 2010

antirony 

A word I made up that has an actual meaning. From "anti" and "irony".
The ironic moment when two opposite lovers both switch so they can be together, but results in the opposite.
Person 1: I became evil so we could be together.
Person 2: Oh, well I became good so we could be together.
Person 3: The antirony is REAL! (or) How antironic...
antirony by that_one_guy1 October 9, 2016
More from Urban Dictionary

Pee Calculus

When you have to pee in a movie but don’t want to miss anything, and must do the following mental equation: will the amount I have to pee cause enough discomfort to diminish my attention capacity for the remainder of the movie to an extent which is greater than the amount of the movie I would miss by making a mad dash to the restroom.
I saw Satantango last night, wonderful film but by the 5th hour I had to start doing pee calculus.
Pee Calculus by anorlondo October 1, 2026
Word of the Day on October 2, 2026
Literally "dirty" pronounced with a West Indian accent. Can also have a positive connotation, for example Sean Paul's album title "Dutty Rock".
"The girl is pretty but she corrupt and dutty!"

or, in a positive usage:

"Booya! That freestyle was dutty!"
Dutty by J Hall April 3, 2003
Word of the Day on October 1, 2026
korean word for madam, older woman
Ajumma wait a moment
Ajumma by aintnotinbutnice July 5, 2009
Word of the Day on September 30, 2026

Slop Grenade

When someone uses AI to generate a large document, slide deck, or piece of code/software and tosses it over the fence for you to deal with.
Chad: Hey Brent I sent you the new backend API change to review, it’s only 100 files changed.

Brent: he just tossed me a slop grenade
Slop Grenade by Joe Squid September 28, 2026
Word of the Day on September 29, 2026
Short-hand for the word floccinaucinihilipilification, meaning the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).
After we broke up, he was floxi to me.
floxi by Dr. Geek May 13, 2009
Word of the Day on September 28, 2026
Load more