How to Properly Use the Abbreviation for Established
By Space Coast Daily // January 6, 2022
Whether you realize it or not, abbreviations are something that we all use on a daily basis. We are always continually pushing ourselves to communicate more effectively and concisely. And even though we may not always achieve this, it is something that we all try very hard to accomplish.
One way that we condense our communication is through abbreviations, both in spoken and written dialect.
What is an abbreviation? Well, it is a shortened form of either a word or a multi-word phrase. This can range from everything between names and titles like using Pres. for President to even abbreviating the word abbreviate itself, which is abbr.
More examples include abbreviating organizations like the Federal Bureau of Investigation to FBI or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to NATO. Both of these abbreviations are used more frequently than the actual long-hand name itself.
And it really does not stop here. Thanks to digital communications like texting and Instant Messaging, we are abbreviating more than ever. Some common examples that have evolved from the technology boom include LOL for laugh out loud, TTYL for talk to you later, TY for thank you and WFH for work from home.
An abbreviation works by taking either the first couple letters of a word, the first and last letter of a word or the first letter in each word and making it into its own version of the word. And while we could go on and on through the extensive list of examples when it comes to abbreviations, we want to focus on one abbreviation in particular: est.
Est. is the abbreviation for established and is widely reconginzed around the world.
A quick example of this abbreviation used in context would be:
The historic building was est. in 1345.
However, this abbreviation is not always used correctly. So we want to help ensure that you have the full picture around this popular abbreviation and know all the rules to follow when using it yourself.
Here are all the tips and tricks to using est. properly.
The Period is Everything
Seriously, the period behind the abbreviation of est. can make or break what the word actually means. This is because there are actually two popular “est” abbreviations.
Obviously, we have est. for “established”. But without the period, we have EST for “Eastern Standard Time—which is a timezone on the Eastern part of the United States. So obviously these two abbreviations have very different meanings. And it all comes down to the use of the period.
To help guide you to use the correct version of each, here are examples of both used properly below:
To properly use “est.” to represent “established”:
The organization was est. in 1942 by Henry Ford.
To properly use “EST” to represent “Eastern Standard Time”:
Today’s announcement will be taking place at 4PM EST from the Oval Office.
Note how it is the period that largely differentiates the two and prevents any unnecessary confusion on this.
There are Actually Two Versions of the Abbreviation
Yes, to make matters a bit more complicated, there are two forms of abbreviations used for the word “established”. While it is more common to use est., it is also acceptable to use estd. as the abbreviation as well. This is because back in the day estd. was more widely used. But over time, it has transitioned to be est. instead. So while you can not choose incorrectly, just make sure you are consistent in your writing when using the abbreviation for this word to prevent any confusion from your readers.
Keep the Abbreviation for Mainly Dates
While you could technically use est. for a range of situations, it is a common practice to keep the abbreviation of this word to specific dates instead. You will actually see the abbreviation of established used on buildings, company bios and even branded items. Here are some examples of when to use the full word versus the abbreviated version.
An example of when to use establishment:
They established a presence that was intimidating to the media.
An example of when to use est.:
The exclusive Gentlemen’s Club was est. circa 2010.
So in conclusion, using the abbreviated form of established really is simpler than it sounds. Just remember these three simple rules. First, do not forget the period! Otherwise, they may think you are referring to a time zone. Second, be consistent with what abbreviation you use—whether that be est. or estd. And finally, stick to using the abbreviated version for significant dates only.
