| A. | Ace (cards); adults only (cinema); advance (clock); answer. |
| a. | Accepted; acre(-s); active (grammar); alto; approved. |
| A. & M. | Hymns Ancient and Modern. |
| A.B. | Able-bodied seaman. |
| abbrev. | Abbreviation (-ated). |
| A.B.C. | (Depot of) Aerated Bread Company. |
| ab init. | Ab initio (Latin), from the beginning. |
| abl. | Ablative. |
| Abp. | Archbishop. |
| abr. | Abridged. |
| abs. | Absent; absolutely; abstract. |
| A.C. | Alternating current; Appeal Court. |
| ac. | Acre(-s). |
| a/c. | Account. |
| acc. | Acceptance; according (to); accusative. |
| accel. | Accelerando (Italian), becoming quicker. |
| A.C.I. | Assure contre I'incen-die (French), assured against fire. |
| ack(-d). | Acknowledge(-d). |
| Act. | Actuary. |
| A.D. | Anno Domini (Latin), in the year of the Lord. |
| ad. | Advertisement. |
| a.d. | After date. |
| ad fin. | Ad finem (Latin), towards the end. |
| ad inf. | Ad infinitum (Latin), to infinity. |
| ad int. | Ad interim (Latin), in the meantime. |
| ad lib. | Ad libitum (Latin), as desired. |
| ad loc. | Ad locum (Latin), at the place. |
| Adv. | Advent. |
| adv. | Advance(-d); adverb; advocate. |
| ad.v., ad val. | Ad valorem (Latin), to the value. |
| advt. | Advertisement. |
| A.E. | Adult education. |
| A.E.C. | Associated Equipment Company. |
| Aen. | The Aeneid. |
| aet., aetat. | Aetatus (Latin), aged. |
| A.F. | Anglo-French. |
| afft. | Affidavit. |
| Afr. | Africa(-n). |
| aft. | Afternoon. |
| agric. | Agriculture. |
| agt. | Agent. |
| A.H. | Anno Hegirae (Latin), in the year of the Hegira (Mahomet's flight from Mecca, a.d. 622). |
| A.I.D. | Artificial insemination by a donor. |
| Ala. | Alabama. |
| Alas. | Alaska. |
| Aid. | Alderman. |
| Alg. | Algebra. |
| A.L.S. | Autograph letter, signed. |
| alt. | Alternative(-ly); altitude. |
| Alta. | Alberta. |
| A.M. | Alpes-Maritimes; Ave Maria (Latin), Hail Mary. |
| a.m. | Ante meridiem (Latin), before noon. |
| A.M.D.G. | Ad majorem Dei gloriam (Latin), to the greater glory of God. |
| amdt. | Amendment. |
| A.N. | Anglo-Norman. |
| an. | Anna (coin). |
| a.n. | Above-named. |
| anal. | Analogous; analysis. |
| Anat. | Anatomy. |
| anc. | Ancient(-ly). |
| Angl. | Anglican. |
| Ann. | Annals; annual; annuities. |
| Anon. | Anonymous. |
| ans. | Answer. |
| ant. | Antiquity; antonym. |
| a.o. | Account of. |
| A.P. | Alexandra Park (racing); Amalgamated Press; ante-post (betting); arithmetical progression; Associated Press. |
| ap. | Apud (Latin), in the work of. |
| a.p. | Above proof; author's proof. |
| Apocr. | Apocrypha. |
| apos. | Apostrophe. |
| app. | Apparent; appendix; appointed. |
| appl. | Appeal (legal); applicable. |
| appro. | Approval. |
| approx. | Apprqximate(-ly). |
| appx. | Appendix. |
| Apr. | April. |
| Aq. | Aqua (Latin), water. |
| Ar., Arab. | Arabic. |
| A.R. | Anno Regni (Latin), in the year of the reign of; annual return. |
| a.r. | All risks. |
| arch. | Archaic; archery, archipelago; architect(-ure). |
| Archd. | Archdeacon; archduke. |
| Ariz. | Arizona. |
| Ark. | Arkansas. |
| arr. | Arranged (by); arrives; arrondissement (French civic division). |
| art. | Article; artificial. |
| As. | Asia(-tic). |
| A.S. | Account sales; Anglo-Saxon. |
| A.S.S.R. | Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. |
| atm. | Atmospheric. |
| a.t.s. | At the suit of. |
| Att. | Attache; attorney. |
| att. | Attached. |
| A.U.C. | Anno urbis conditae (Latin), in the year of the founding of the city (Rome. 753 B.C.). |
| Aud. | Auditor. |
| Aug. | August. |
| aug. | Augment. |
| aux. | Auxiliary. |
| A.V. | Authorised Version. |
| av. | Average. |
| a.v. | Ad valorem (Latin), to the value. |
| avdp. | Avoirdupois. |
| Ave. | Avenue. |
| az. | Azure (heraldry). |