The ecclesiastical words most commonly abbreviated at all times are proper name

Proper name

"A proper name [is] a word that answers the purpose of showing what thing it is that we are talking about" writes John Stuart Mill in A System of Logic , "but not of telling anything about it"...

s, title

Title

A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...

s (official or customary), of persons or corporation

Corporation

A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...

s, and words of frequent occurrence. A list of those used in Roman Republic

Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...

an and early Imperial

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

 times may be seen in James Chidester Egbert, Jr.

James Chidester Egbert, Jr.

James Chidester Egbert, Jr., Ph. D. was an American classical scholar and educator.He was born in New York City. He graduated at Columbia University in 1881, and took a doctorate there in 1884. He then became a professor of Classical studies and was dean of the School of Business there from 1916...

's Latin Inscriptions (New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, 1896), 417–459.

The Jewish scribes and Talmudic scholars also had frequent recourse to abbreviations. Between the seventh and ninth centuries the ancient Roman

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

 system of abbreviations gave way to a more difficult one that gradually grew up in the monastic houses and in the chanceries of the new Teutonic

Germanic peoples

The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...

 kingdoms. Merovingian, Lombard

Lombardic language

Lombardic or Langobardic is the extinct language of the Lombards , the Germanic speaking people who settled in Italy in the 6th century. The language declined rapidly already in the 7th century as the invaders quickly adopted the Latin vernacular spoken by the local Roman population. E.g...

, and Anglo-Saxon scripts offer each their own abbreviations, not to speak of the unique scotica manus or libri scottice scripti (Irish

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 hand, or books written in the medieval Irish hand). Eventually such productive centres of technical manuscripts as the Papal Chancery, the theological schools of Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 and Oxford

Oxford

The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...

, and the civil-law school of Bologna

Bologna

Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...

 set the standards of abbreviations for all Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

.

Medieval manuscripts abound in abbreviations, owing in part to the abandonment of the uncial

Uncial

Uncial is a majuscule script commonly used from the 3rd to 8th centuries AD by Latin and Greek scribes. Uncial letters are written in either Greek, Latin, or Gothic.-Development:...

, or quasi

Quasi

Quasi is an American indie rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993 by ex-husband and wife Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss . Since 2007 the group has been a trio, following the addition of bassist Joanna Bolme.-History:In 1990 , Coomes, Weiss, and Brad Pedinov formed the band Motorgoat...

-uncial, and the almost universal use of the cursive, hand. The medieval writer inherited a few from Christian

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 antiquity; others he invented or adapted, in order to save time and parchment. They are found especially in manuscripts of scholastic theology and canon law, annals and chronicles, the Roman law, and in administrative documents, civil and privileges, bulls, rescripts. They multiplied with time, and were never so numerous as on the eve of the discovery of printing; many of the early printed books offer this peculiarity, together with other characteristics of the manuscript page.

The development of printing brought about the abandonment of many abbreviations, while it suggested and introduced new ones a process also favoured by the growth of ecclesiastical legislation, the creation of new offices, etc. There was less medieval abbreviation in the text of books much used on public occasions, e.g. missals, antiphonaries, Bibles; in one way or another the needs of students seem to have been the chief cause of the majority of medieval abbreviations. The means of abbreviation were usually full points or dots (mostly in Roman antiquity), the semicolon (eventually conventionalized), lines (horizontal, perpendicular, oblong, wavy curves, and commas). Vowel-sounds were frequently written not after, but over, the consonants. Certain letters, like p and q, that occur with extreme. frequency, e.g. in prepositions and terminations, became the source of many peculiar abbreviations; similarly, frequently recurring words like et (and), est (is). Habit and convenience are today the principal motives for using abbreviations. Most of those in actual use fall under one or other of the following heads:

1. Administrative
2. Liturgical
3. Scholastic
   Scholasticism
   Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
   
   
4. Chronological

Administrative

The first class of abbreviations includes those used in the composition of Pontifical

Pontifical

Pontifical may refer to the Roman Pontifical, a Roman Catholic liturgical book used by a bishop.When used as an adjective, Pontifical may be used to describe things related to the office of a bishop, such as the following:*Solemn Pontifical Mass...

 documents. They were once very numerous, and lists of them may be seen in the works quoted below (e.g. Quantin, Prou). It may be well to state at once that since 29 December 1878, by order of Leo XIII, the great papal documents (Litterae Apostolicae) are no longer written in the old Gothic

Goths

The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....

 hand known as bollatico; all abbreviations, with the exception of a few obvious ones, like S.R.E., were abolished by the same authority (Acta Sanctae Sedis

Acta Sanctae Sedis

Acta Sanctae Sedis was a Roman monthly publication containing the principal public documents issued by the Pope, directly or through the Roman Congregations....

, XI, 465–467). In the transaction of ordinary business the Roman Congregations are wont to use certain brief and pithy formulas (e.g. Negative = "No

NO

NO, N.O., No, or No. may refer to:* One of a pair of English words, yes and no, which signal confirmation or a negative response respectively.- Geographical locations :* Norway, ISO 3166-1 country code* Lake No, Sudan...

"; Negative et amplius = "No with emphasis"). They are not, correctly speaking, abbreviations. For a list of these see Canon law

Canon law (Catholic Church)

The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...

. This class includes also the abbreviations for the names of most sees. The full Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 titles of all existing (Latin) dioceses may be seen in the Roman annual, "Gerarchia Cattolica", a complete list of the Latin names of all known dioceses (extant or extinct) is found in the large folio work of the Comte

Comte

Comte is a title of Catalan, Occitan and French nobility. In the English language, the title is equivalent to count, a rank in several European nobilities. The corresponding rank in England is earl...

 de Mas Latrie, "Trésor

Tresor

Tresor is an underground techno nightclub and record label. The club was founded in March 1991 in the vaults of the former old Wertheim department store in Mitte, the central part of the former East Berlin, next to the famous Potsdamer Platz, however the history of the club goes back to 1988 when...

 de chronologie, d'histoire et de géographie" (Paris, 1884). For the same purpose the reader may also consult the episcopal catalogues of the Benedictine

Benedictine

Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

 Pius Bonifacius Gams

Pius Bonifacius Gams

Pius Bonifacius Gams was a German Benedictine ecclesiastical historian.-Life:...

, "Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae" (Ratisbon, 1873–86), and the Franciscan

Franciscan

Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....

 Conrad Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii Ævi (Münster

Münster

Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...

, 1898–1902). Under this general heading may be included all abbreviated forms of addresses in ordinary intercourse, whether of individuals or of members of religious orders, congregations, institutes, to which may be added the forms of addresses usual for members of Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 lay societies and the Papal orders of merit. (See Catholic societies, orders of merit.) The abbreviations of the titles of Roman Congregations, and of the individual canonical ecclesiastical authorities, belong also to this class.

Liturgical

A second class of abbreviations includes those used in the description of liturgical acts or the directions for their performance, e.g. the Holy Mass, the Divine Office

Liturgy of the hours

The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...

 (Breviary

Breviary

A breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...

), the ecclesiastical devotions, etc. Here may also be classed the abbreviated forms for the name of God

God

God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost; also for the names of the Blessed Virgin, the saints, etc.; likewise abbreviations used in the administration of the Sacraments, mortuary epitaphs, etc. (to which class belong the numerous Catacomb inscriptions); finally some miscellaneous abbreviations like those used in the publication of documents concerning beatification and canonization.

Scholastic

In the third class belong scholastic abbreviations, used to designate honorific titles acquired in the schools, to avoid the repetition of lengthy titles of books and reviews, or to facilitate reference to ecclesiastical and civil legislation.

Chronological

In the fourth class of abbreviations belong all such as are used to describe the elements of the year, civil or ecclesiastical.

Abbreviations used in apostolic rescripts

• Absoluo. – Absolutio ("Absolution
  Absolution
  Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness experienced in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This concept is found in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Anglican churches, and most Lutheran churches....
  
  ")
• Alr. – Aliter ("Otherwise")
• Applica. – Apostolica ("Apostolic")
• Appatis. – Approbatis ("Having been approved")
• Archiepus. – Archiepiscopus ("Archbishop
  Archbishop
  An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
  
  ")
• Aucte. – Auctoritate ("By the Authority
  Authority
  The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
  
  ")
• Canice. – Canonice ("Canon
  Canon law
  Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
  
  ically")
• Card. – Cardinalis ("Cardinal
  Cardinal (Catholicism)
  A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
  
  ")
• Cens. – Censuris ("Censures" – abl. or dat. case)
• Circumpeone. – Circumspectione ("Circumspection" – abl. case)
• Coione. – Communione ("Communion" – abl. case)
• Confeone. – Confessione ("Confession
  Confession
  This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
  
  " – abl. case)
• Consciae. – Conscientiae ("Of [or to] conscience
  Conscience
  Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
  
  ")
• Constbus – Constitutionibus ("Constitutions" – abl. or dat. case)
• Discreoni. – Discretioni ("To the Discretion
  Discretion
  Discretion is a noun in the English language with several meanings revolving around the judgment of the person exercising the characteristic.-Meanings:*"The Art of suiting action to particular circumstances"...
  
  ")
• Dispensao. – Dispensatio ("Dispensation
  Dispensation (Catholic Church)
  In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
  
  ")
• Dnus – Dominus ("Lord
  Lord
  Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
  
  ", "Sir
  Sir
  Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
  
  ", or "Mr.
  Mr.
  Mister, usually written in its abbreviated form Mr or Mr. , is a commonly used English honorific for men under the rank of knighthood. The title derived from master, as the equivalent female titles, Mrs., Miss, and Ms, all derived from the archaic mistress...
  
  ")
• Ecclae. – Ecclesiae ("Of [or to] the Church")
• Ecclis. – Ecclesiasticis ("Ecclesiastical")
• Effum. – Effectum ("Effect")
• Epus. – Episcopus ("Bishop
  Bishop
  A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
  
  ")
• Excoe. – Excommunicatione ("Excommunication
  Excommunication
  Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
  
  " – abl. case)
• Exit. – Existit ("Exists")
• Fr. – Frater ("Brother")
• Frum. – Fratrum ("Of the Brothers")
• Gnalis – Generalis ("General")
• Humil. – Humiliter ("Humbly")
• Humoi. – Hujusmodi ("Of this kind")
• Igr. – Igitur ("Therefore")
• Infraptum. – Infrascriptum ("Written below")
• Intropta. – Introscripta ("Written within")
• Irregulte. – Irregularitate ("Irregularity" – abl. case)
• Lia. – Licentia ("License
  License
  The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
  
  ")
• Litma. – Legitima ("Lawful")
• Lre. – Litterae ("Letters
  Literature
  Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
  
  ")
• Lte. – Licite ("Lawfully", or "licitly")
• Magro. – Magistro ("Master
  Master
  Master or Masters are terms denoting some kind of rank or status, and may refer to:-Ranks and titles:* Master craftsman in the Medieval guilds* Master , a title...
  
  " – dat. or abl. case)
• Mir. – Misericorditer ("Mercifully")
• Miraone. – Miseratione ("Pity
  Pity
  Pity originally means feeling for others, particularly feelings of sadness or sorrow, and was once used in a comparable sense to the more modern words "sympathy" and "empathy"...
  
  " – abl. case)
• Mrimonium. – Matrimonium ("Matrimony")
• Nultus. – Nullatenus ("Nowise")
• Ordinaoni. – Ordinationi ("Ordination
  Ordination
  In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
  
  " – dat. case)
• Ordio. – Ordinario ("Ordinary
  Ordinary
  In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
  
  " – dat. or abl. case)
• Pbr. – Presbyter ("Priest
  Priest
  A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
  
  ")
• Penia. – Poenitentia ("Penance
  Penance
  Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
  
  ", or "repentance
  Repentance
  Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
  
  ")
• Peniaria. – Poenitentiaria ("Penitentiary
  Apostolic Penitentiary
  The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...
  
  "; i.e. Bureau of the Apostolic Penitentiary)
• Pntium. – Praesentium ("Of those present", or, "Of this present writing")
• Poe. – Posse ("To be able", or, "The ability to do a thing")
• Pontus. – Pontificatus ("Pontificate")
• PP. – Papa ("Pope
  Pope
  The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
  
  ")
• Pr. – Pater ("Father
  Father
  A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
  
  ")
• Pror. – Procurator
  Procurator
  Procurator may refer to:*Procurator , the title of various officials of the Roman Empire...
  
  
• Ptur. – Praefertur ("Is preferred", or, "Is brought forward")
• Ptus. – Praefatus ("Aforesaid")
• Qd. – Quod
  Quod
  The word quod can refer to the following:* The Quod, a contemporary nickname for the English Quota System during the Napoleonic Wars* a quod, the main playing item in the fictional sport of Quodpot in the Harry Potter universe...
  
   ("Because", "That", or, "Which")
• Qmlbt. – Quomodolibet ("In any manner whatsoever")
• Qtnus. – Quatenus ("Insofar as")
• Relione. – Religione ("Religion
  Religion
  Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
  
  ", or, "Religious Order" – abl. case)
• Rlari. – Regulari ("Regular")
• Roma. – Romana ("Roman
  Ancient Rome
  Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
  
  ")
• Salri. – Salutari ("Salutary")
• Snia. – Sententia ("Opinion
  Opinion
  In general, an opinion is a subjective belief, and is the result of emotion or interpretation of facts. An opinion may be supported by an argument, although people may draw opposing opinions from the same set of facts. Opinions rarely change without new arguments being presented...
  
  ")
• Sntae., Stae. – Sanctae ("Holy", or, "Saint
  Saint
  A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
  
  s" – feminine)
• Spealer. – Specialiter ("Specially")
• Spualibus – Spiritualibus ("In spiritual matters")
• Supplioni. – Supplicationibus ("Supplication
  Supplication
  Supplication is the most common form of prayer, wherein a person asks God to provide something, either for the person or who is doing the praying or for someone else on whose behalf a prayer. This because of a supplication is being made, also known as intercession.The concept of supplication is...
  
  " – dat. or abl. case)
• Thia, Theolia. – Theologia ("Theology
  Theology
  Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
  
  ")
• Tli. Tituli – ("Title
  Title
  A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
  
  s")
• Tm. – Tantum ("So much", or, "Only")
• Tn. – Tamen ("Nevertheless
  Nevertheless
  Nevertheless may refer to:* Nevertheless , an album by Christine Fellows* Nevertheless , an American Christian indie pop rock band* "Nevertheless ", a song written by Harry Ruby...
  
  ")
• Venebli – Venerabili ("Venerable
  Venerable
  The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
  
  ")
• Vrae. – Vestrae ("Your")

Abbreviations in general use, chiefly ecclesiastical

• A.B. – Artium Baccalaureus ("Bachelor of Arts
  Bachelor of Arts
  A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
  
  ")
• Ab. – Abbas ("Abbot
  Abbot
  The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
  
  ")
• Abp. – Archbishop
  Archbishop
  An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
  
  
• Abs. – Absens ("Absent")
• A.C. – Auditor Camerae (Auditor of the Papal Treasury)
• AC – Ante Christum ("Before Christ")
• ACN – Ante Christum Natum
  Ante Christum Natum
  Ante Christum Natum , usually abbreviated to A.C.N., a.C.n., a.Ch.n. or ACN, denotes the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the modern Latin equivalent to the English term "BC" and "BCE"...
  
   ("Before the Birth of Christ")
• A.D. – Anno Domini
  Anno Domini
  and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
  
   ("Year of Our Lord")
• a.d. – ante diem ("The day before")
• Adm. Rev. – Admodum Reverendus ("Very Reverend")
• Adv. – Adventus ("Advent
  Advent
  Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
  
  ")
• Alb. – Albus ("White" – Breviary)
• al. – alii, alibi, alias ("others", "elsewhere", "otherwise")
• A.M. – Anno Mundi
  Anno Mundi
  ' , abbreviated as AM or A.M., refers to a Calendar era based on the Biblical creation of the world. Numerous efforts have been made to determine the Biblical date of Creation, yielding varying results. Besides differences in interpretation, which version of the Bible is being referenced also...
  
   ("in the year of the world
  World
  World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
  
  ")
• A.M. – Artium Magister ("Master of Arts
  Master of Arts (postgraduate)
  A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
  
  ")
• A.M.D.G. – Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam ("For the greater glory of God")
• An. – Annus ("Year")
• Ann. – Anni ("Years")
• Ana, Ant. – Antiphon
• Apost. – Apostolus ("Apostle
  Apostle (Christian)
  The term apostle is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος , meaning one who is sent away, from στέλλω + από . The literal meaning in English is therefore an "emissary", from the Latin mitto + ex...
  
  ")
• Ap. Sed. – Apostolica Sedes ("Apostolic See")
• Ap. Sed. Leg. – Apostolicae Sedis Legatus ("Legate of the Apostolic See")
• Archiep. – Archiepiscopus ("Archbishop
  Archbishop
  An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
  
  ")
• Archid. – Archidiaconus ("Archdeacon")
• Archiprb. – Archipresbyter ("Archpriest")
• A.R.S. – Anno Reparatae Salutis ("In the year of Our Redemption")
• A.U. – Alma Urbs ("Beloved City" – i.e., Rome)
• Authen. – Authentica ("Authentic" – e.g. letters)
• Aux. – Auxilium, Auxilio ("Help", "With the help of")
• B.A. – Baccalaureus Artium ("Bachelor of Arts")
• B. BB. – Beatus, Beati ("Blessed")
• B.C. – Before Christ
• B.C.L. – Baccalaureus Civilis [or Canonicae] Legis ("Bachelor of Civil [or Canon] Law")
• B.D. – Bachelor of Divinity
• B.F. – Bona Fide ("In Good Faith")
• Ben. – Benedictio ("Blessing")
• Benevol. – Benevolentia ("Benevolence")
• Bon. Mem. – Bonae Memoriae ("Of Happy Memory")
• B.P. – Beatissime Pater ("Most Holy Father")
• Bro. – Brother
• B. Se. – Baccalaureus Scientiarum ("Bachelor of Sciences")
• B.U.J. – Baccalaureus Utriusque Juris ("Bachelor of Both Laws" – i.e., civil and canon)
• B.T. – Baccalaureus Theologiae ("Bachelor of Theology")
• B.V. – Beatitudo Vestra ("Your Holiness")
• B.V. – Beata Virgo ("Blessed Virgin")
• B.V.M. – Beata Virgo Maria ("Blessed Virgin Mary")
• Cam. – Camera (Papal Treasury)
• Cam. Ap. – Camera Apostolica ("Apostolic Camera" – i.e. Papal Treasury)
• Can. – Canonicus
• Canc. – Cancellarius ("Chancellor")
• Cap. – Capitulum ("Little Chapter" – Breviary)
• Cap. de seq. – Capitulum de Sequenti ("Little chapter of the following feast" – Breviary)
• Capel. – Capella ("Chapel")
• Caus. – Causa ("Cause")
• C.C. – Curatus ("Curate" – used chiefly in Ireland)
• CC. VV. – Clarissimi Viri ("Illustrious Men")
• Cen. Eccl. – Censura Ecclesiastica ("Ecclesiastical Censure")
• Cla. – Clausula ("Clause")
• Cl., Clico. – Clericus, Clerico ("Cleric")
• Clun. – Cluniacenses ("Monks of Cluny")
• C.M. – Causa Mortis ("On occasion of death")
• Cod. – Codex (Manuscript)
• Cog. Leg. – Cognatio Legalis ("Legal Cognation")
• Cog. Spir. – Cognatio Spiritualis ("Spiritual Cognation")
• Coll. Cone. – Collectio Conciliorum ("Collection of the Councils")
• Comm. Prec. – Commemoratio Praecedentis ("Commemoration of the preceding feast" – Breviary)
• Comm. Seq. – Commemoratio Sequentis ("Commemoration of the following feast" – Breviary)
• Compl. – Completorium ("Compline" – Breviary)
• Con. – Contra ("against")
• Cone. – Concilium ("Council")
• Conf. – Confessor
• Conf. Doct. – Confessor et Doctor (Breviary)
• Conf. Pont. – Confessor Pontifex ("Confessor and Bishop" – Breviary)
• Cons. – Consecratio ("Consecration")
• Consecr. – Consecratus ("Consecrated")
• Const. Ap. – Constitutio Apostolica ("Apostolic Constitution")
• Cr. – Credo ("Creed" – Breviary)
• D. – Dominus ("Lord")
• d. – dies ("day")
• D.C.L. – Doctor Civilis [or Canonicae] Legis ("Doctor of Civil [or Canon] Law")
• D.D. – Doctores ("Doctors")
• D.D. – Donum dedit; Dedicavit ("Gave", "dedicated")
• D.D. – Doctor Divinitatis ("Doctor of Divinity" – i.e. Theology)
• Dec. – Decanus ("Dean")
• Def. – Defunctus ("Deceased")
• D.G. – Dei Gratia ("By the Grace of God")
• D.N. – Dominus Noster ("Our Lord")
• D.N.J.C. – Dominus Noster Jesus Christus ("Our Lord Jesus Christ")
• DN, DNS, DNUS – Dominus ("Lord")
• Doct. – Doctor (Breviary)
• Dom. – Dominica ("Sunday")
• D.O.M. – Deo Optimo Maximo ("To God, the Best and Greatest")
• Doxol. – Doxologia ("Doxology" – Breviary)
• D.R. – Decanus Ruralis ("Rural Dean")
• DS – Deus ("God")
• D.Se. – Doctor Scientiarum ("Doctor of Sciences")
• D.V. – Deo Volente ("God willing")
• Dupl. – Duplex ("Double feast" – Breviary)
• Dupl. Maj. – Duplex Major ("Double Major feast")
• Dupl. I. Cl. – Duplex Primae Classis ("Double First Class feast" – Breviary)
• Dupl. II. Cl. – Duplex Secundae Classis ("Double Second Class feast" – Breviary)
• Eccl. – Ecclesiasticus ("Ecclesiastic")
• E., Eccl. – Ecclesia ("The Church")
• El. – Electio, Electus ("Election", "Elect")
• Emus – Eminentissimus ("Most Eminent")
• EPS, EP., Episc. – Episcopus ("Bishop")
• Et. – Etiam ("Also, Even")
• Evang. – Evangelium ("Gospel" – Breviary)
• Ex. – Extra ("Outside of")
• Exe. – Excommunicatus, Excommunicatio ("Excommunicated, Excommunication")
• Fel. Mem. – Felicis Memoriae ("Of Happy Memory")
• Fel. Rec. – Felicis Recordationis ("Of Happy Memory")
• Fer. – Feria ("Weekday")
• Fr., F. – Frater, Frere ("Brother")
• Fund. – Fundatio ("Foundation")
• Gen. – Generalis ("General")
• Gl. – Gloria ("Glory to God", etc.)
• Gr. – Gratia ("Grace")
• Grad. – Gradus ("Grade")
• Great. – Gratias ("Thanks"); or Gratis ("Without expense")
• hebd. – Hebdomada ("Week")
• Hom. – Homilia ("Homily" – Breviary)
• hor. – hora ("hour")
• IC – Jesus (first and third letters of His name in Greek)
• Id. – Idus ("Ides")
• Igr. – Igitur ("Therefore")
• I.H.S. – Iesus Hominum Salvator ("Jesus Saviour of Men" – usual interpretation). Really a faulty Latin transliteration of the first three letters of *JESUS in Greek (IHS for IHC).
• Ind. – Indictio ("Indiction")
• Ind. – Index
• Inq. – Inquisitio ("Inquisition")
• i.p.i. – in partibus infidelium ("among the infidels")
• Is. – Idus ("Ides")
• J.C. – Jesus Christus ("Jesus Christ")
• J.C.D. – Juris Canonici Doctor, Juris Civilis Doctor ("Doctor of Canon Law", "Doctor of Civil Law")
• J.D. – Juris Doctor ("Doctor of Law")
• J.M.J. – Jesus, Maria, Joseph ("Jesus, Mary, Joseph")
• Jo., Joann. – Joannes ("John")
• J.U.D. – Juris Utriusque Doctor ("Doctor of Both Laws" – Civil and Canon)
• Jud. – Judicium ("Judgment")
• J.U.L. – Juris Utriusque Licentiatus ("Licentiate of Both Laws")
• Jur. – Juris ("Of Law")
• Kal. – Kalendae ("Calends")
• Laic. – Laicus ("Layman")
• Laud. – Laudes ("Lauds" – Breviary)
• L.C.D. – Legis Civilis Doctor ("Doctor of Civil Law")
• l.c.; loc. cit. – Loco citato ("at the place already cited")
• Lect. – Lectio ("Lesson")
• Legit. – Legitime, Legitimus ("Legally", "legitimate")
• L.H.D. – Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor ("Doctor of Literature")
• Lib., Lo. – Liber, Libro ("Book", "In the book")
• Lic. – Licentia, Licentiatus ("License", "Licentiate")
• Litt. – Littera ("Letter")
• LL.B. – Legum Baccalaureus ("Bachelor of Laws")
• LL.D. – Legum Doctor ("Doctor of Laws")
• LL.M. – Legum Magister ("Master of Laws")
• Loc. – Locus ("Place")
• Lov. – Lovanium ("Louvain")
• Lovan. – Lovanienses (Theologians of Louvain)
• L.S. – Loco Sigilli ("Place of the Seal")
• Lud. – Ludovicus
• M. – Maria ("Mary")
• M.A. – Magister Artium ("Master of Arts")
• Mag. – Magister ("Master")
• Mand. – Mandamus ("We command")
• Mand. Ap. – Mandatum Apostolicum ("Apostolic Mandate", e.g. for a bishop's consecration)
• Mart., M., MM. – Martyr, Martyres ("Martyr", "Martyrs" – Breviary)
• Mat. – Matutinum ("Matins" – Breviary)
• Matr. – Matrimonum ("Marriage")
• Mgr., Msgr., or Mons. – Monsignor
  Monsignor
  Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
  
   ("My Lord")
• Miss. – Missa ("Mass" – Breviary); Missionarius ("Missionary")
• Miss. Apost., M.A. – Missionarius Apostolicus ("Missionary Apostolic")
• M.R. – Missionarius Rector ("Missionary Rector")
• m.t.v. – mutatur terminatio versiculi ("the termination of the little verse is changed" – Breviary)
• Nativ. D.N.J.C. – Nativitas Domini Nostri Jesu Christi ("Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ")
• N. D. – Nostra Domina, Notre Dame ("Our Lady")
• Nigr. – Niger ("Black" – Breviary)
• No. – Nobis ("to us", "for us")
• Nob. – Nobilis, Nobiles ("Noble", "Nobles")
• Noct. – Nocturnum ("Nocturn")
• Non. – Nonae ("Nones")
• Nostr. – Noster, nostri ("Our", "of our")
• Not. – Notitia ("Knowledge")
• N.S. – Notre Seigneur, Nostro Signore ("Our Lord")
• N.S. – New Style
• N.T. – Novum Testamentum ("New Testament")
• Ntri. – Nostri ("Of our")
• Nup. – Nuptiae ("Nuptials")
• Ob. – Obiit
  Obit
  Obit may refer to:*Obituary, a brief notice of a person’s death*Obiit, a mediaeval mass of remembrance, named from the perfect case of the Latin verb ob-eo, to go away: "he has gone away"....
  
   ("Died")
• Oct. – Octava ("Octave" – Breviary)
• Omn. – Omnes, Omnibus ("All", "to all")
• Op. Cit. – Opere Citato ("In the work cited")
• Or. – Oratio ("Prayer" – Breviary)
• Ord. – Ordo, Ordinatio, Ordinarius ("Order", "Ordination", "Ordinary")
• Or. Orat. – Orator ("Petitioner"), Oratorium ("Oratory")
• O.S. – Old Style
• O.T. – Old Testament
• Oxon. – Oxonium, Oxonienses ("Oxford", "Theologians or Scholars of Oxford")
• P. – Pater, Pere ("Father")
• Pa. – Papa ("Pope"); Pater ("Father")
• Pact. – Pactum ("Agreement")
• Pasch. – Pascha
  Easter
  Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
  
   ("Easter" – Breviary)
• Patr. – Patriarcha ("Patriarch
  Patriarch
  Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
  
  ")
• Pent. – Pentecostes ("Pentecost
  Pentecost
  Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
  
  " – Breviary)
• Ph. B. – Philosophiae Baccalaureus ("Bachelor of Philosophy")
• Ph.D. – Philosophiae Doctor ("Doctor of Philosophy")
• Phil. – Philosophia ("Philosophy")
• Ph. M. – Philosophiae Magister ("Master of Philosophy")
• P.K. – Pridie Kalendas ("The day before the Calends")
• Poenit. – Poenitentia ("Penance")
• Poenit. Ap. – Poenitentiaria Apostolica ("Office of the Apostolic Penitentiary")
• Pont. – Pontifex ("Pontiff", i.e. Bishop—Breviary)
• Pont. – Pontificatus ("Pontificate")
• Pont. Max. – Pontifex Maximus ("Supreme Pontiff")
• Poss. – Possessor, Possessio ("Possessor", "Possession")
• PP. – Papa ("Pope"); Pontificum ("Of the popes")
• P.P. – Parochus ("Parish Priest" – used mostly in Ireland)
• PP. AA. – Patres Amplissimi ("Cardinals")
• P.P.P. – Propria Pecunia Posuit ("Erected at his own expense")
• P.R. – Permanens Rector ("Permanent Rector")
• Praef. – Praefatio ("Preface" of the Mass—Breviary)
• Presbit. – Presbyter, Priest
• Prof. – Professus, Professio, Professor ("Professed", "Profession", "Professor")
• Prop. Fid. – Propaganda Fide (Congregation of the Propaganda, Rome)
• Propr. – Proprium ("Proper" – Breviary)
• Prov. – Provisio, Provisum ("Provision", "Provided")
• Ps. – Psalmus ("Psalm")
• Pub., Publ. – Publicus, Publice ("Public", "Publicly")
• Purg. Can. – Purgatio Canonica ("Canonical Disculpation")
• Quadrag. – Quadragesima ("Lent", also the "Fortieth day" before Easter—Breviary)
• Quinquag. – Quinquagesima (The "Fiftieth day" before Easter—Breviary)
• R. – Responsorium ("Responsory" – Breviary)
• R. – Roma (Rome)
• Rescr. – Rescriptum ("Rescript")
• R.D. – Rural Dean
• Req. – Requiescat ("May he [or she] rest", i.e. in peace)
• Resp. – Responsum ("Reply")
• R.I.P. – Requiescat In Pace ("May he or she rest in peace")
• Rit. – Ritus ("Rite", "Rites")
• Rom. – Romanus, Romana ("Roman")
• R. P. – Reverendus Pater, Reverend Pere ("Reverend Father")
• RR. – Rerum ("Of Things, Subjects" – e.g. SS. RR. Ital., Writers on Italian [historical] subjects); Regesta
• Rt. Rev. – Right Reverend
• Rub. – Ruber ("Red" – Breviary)
• Rubr. – Rubrica ("Rubric")
• S., Sacr. – Sacrum ("Sacred")
• Sab., Sabb. – Sabbatum ("Sabbath", Saturday)
• Saec. – Saeculum (Century)
• Sal. – Salus, Salutis ("Salvation", "of Salvation")
• Salmant. – Salmanticenses (Theologians of Salamanca)
• S.C. – Sacra Congregatio ("Sacred Congregation")
• S.C.C. – Sacra Congregatio Concilii ("Sacred Congregation of the Council", i.e. of Trent)
• S.C.EE.RR. – Sacra Congregatio Episcoporum et Regularium ("Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars")
• S.C.I. – Sacra Congregatio Indicis ("Sacred Congregation of the Index")
• S.C.P.F. – Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide ("Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith")
• SCS – Sanctus ("Saint")
• s.d. – sine data (undated book)
• S.D. – Servus Dei (Servant of God)
• Semid. – Semiduplex ("Semi" double feast—Breviary)
• Septuag – Septuagesima ("Seventieth day" before Easter; always a Sunday—Breviary)
• Sexag. – Sexagesima ("Sixtieth day" before Easter—Breviary)
• Sig. – Sigillum ("Seal")
• Simpl. – Simplex ("Simple" feast—Breviary)
• Sine Com. – Sine Commemoratione ("Without commemoration" of other feast, or feasts—Breviary)
• s.l. – sine loco ("without indication" of place of printing)
• s.l.n.d. – sine loco nec data ("without indication of place" or "without date of printing")
• S.M. – Sanctae Memoriae ("Of Holy Memory")
• Soc. – Socius, Socii ("Companion", "Companions" – Breviary)
• S. Off. – Sanctum Officium (Congregation of the Holy Office, Inquisition)
• S.P. – Sanctissime Pater ("Most Holy Father")
• S.P., S. Petr. – Sanctus Petrus ("St. Peter")
• S.P. – Summus Pontifex ("Supreme Pontiff", Pope)
• S.P.A. – Sacrum Palatium Apostolicum ("Sacred Apostolic Palace", Vatican, Quirinal)
• Sr. – Sister
• S.R.C. – Sacra Rituum Congregatio ("Sacred Congregation of Rites")
• S.R.E. – Sancta Romana Ecclesia, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesia ("Most Holy Roman Church"; or, "of the Most Holy Roman Church")
• SS. – Scriptores ("Writers")
• SS.D.N. – Sanctissimus Dominus Noster ("Our Most Holy Lord [Jesus Christ]", also a title of the Pope)
• S., SS. – Sanctus, Sancti ("Saint", "Saints")
• S.T.B. – Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus ("Bachelor of Sacred Theology")
• S.T.D. – Sacrae Theologiae Doctor ("Doctor of Sacred Theology")
• S.T.L. – Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus ("Licentiate of Sacred Theology")
• S.T.P. – Sanctae Theologiae Professor ("Professor of Sacred Theology")
• Suffr. – Suffragia ("Suffrages" – i.e. prayers of the saints; Breviary)
• S.V. – Sanctitas Vestra ("Your Holiness")
• Syn. – Synodus ("Synod")
• Temp. – Tempus, Tempore ("Time", "in time")
• Test. – Testes, Testimonium ("Witnesses", "Testimony")
• Theol. – Theologia ("Theology")
• Tit. – Titulus, Tituli ("Title", "Titles")
• Ult. – Ultimo ("Last" – day, month, year)
• Usq. – Usque ("As far as")
• Ux. – Uxor ("Wife")
• V., Ven., VV. – Venerabilis, Venerabiles ("Venerable")
• V., Vest. – Vester ("Your")
• Vac. – Vacat, Vacans ("Vacant")
• Val. – Valor ("Value")
• Vat. – Vaticanus ("Vatican")
• Vba. – Verba ("Words")
• Vers. – Versiculus ("Versicle" – Breviary)
• Vesp. – Vesperae ("Vespers" – Breviary)
• V.F., Vic. For. – Vicarius Foraneus ("Vicar-Forane")
• V.G. – Vicarius Generalis ("Vicar-General")
• Vid. – Vidua ("Widow" – Breviary)
• Vid., Videl. – Videlicet ("Namely")
• Vig. – Vigilia ("Vigil" of a feast—Breviary)
• Viol. – Violaceus ("Violet" – Breviary)
• Virg. – Virgo ("Virgin" – Breviary)
• Virid. – Viridis ("Green" – Breviary)
• V.M. – Vir Magnificus ("Great Man")
• V. Rev. – Very Reverend
• V.T. – Vetus Testamentum
• XC., XCS. – Christus ("Christ" – first, middle, and last letters of the Greek name)

Abbreviations in catacomb inscriptions

• A.D. – Ante Diem (e.g. in the phrase, "Ante Diem VI [or Sextum] Kal. Apriles", is equivalent to the sixth day before the Calends of April, counting both the Calends and the day intended to be indicated); or Anima Dulcis ("Sweet Soul")
• A.Q.I.C. – Anima Quiescat In Christo ("May his [or her] Soul Repose in Christ")
• B., BMT. – Bene Merenti ("To the Well-Deserving")
• B.M. – Bonae Memoriae ("Of Happy Memory")
• B.F. – Bonae Feminae ("To the Good Woman")
• B.I.C. – Bibas [for Vivas] In Christo ("May you Live In Christ")
• B.M.F. – Bene Merenti Fecit ("He erected this to the Well-Deserving")
• B.Q. – Bene Quiescat ("May he [or she] Rest Well")
• C. – Consul
• CC. – Consules ("Consuls")
• C.F. – Clarissima Femina ("Most Illustrious Woman")
• Cl. V. – Clarissimus Vir ("Most Illustrious Man")
• C.O. – Conjugi Optimo ("To my Excellent Husband")
• C.O.B.Q. – Cum Omnibus Bonis Quiescat ("May he [or she] Repose With All Good souls")
• COI. – Conjugi ("To my Husband [or Wife]")
• CS., COS. – Consul
• COSS. – Consules ("Consuls")
• C.P. – Clarissima Puella ("Most Illustrious Maiden")
• D. – Depositus ("Laid to rest"); or Dulcis ("Dear One")
• D.D. – Dedit, Dedicavit ("Gave", "Dedicated")
• DEP. – Depositus ("Laid to rest")
• D.I.P. – Dormit In Pace ("Sleeps in Peace")
• D.M. – Diis Manibus ("To the Manes [of]")
• D.M.S. – Diis Manibus Sacrum ("Sacred to the Manes [of]")
• D.N. – Domino Nostro ("To Our Lord")
• DD. NN. – Dominis Nostris ("To Our Lords")
• E.V. – Ex Voto ("In Fulfilment of a Vow")
• EX. TM. – Ex Testamento ("In accordance with the Testament of")
• E VIV. DISC. – E Vivis Discessit ("Departed from Life")
• F. – Fecit ("Did"); or Filius ("Son"); or Feliciter ("Happily")
• F.C. – Fieri Curavit ("Caused to be made")
• F.F. – Fieri Fecit ("Caused to be made")
• FF. – Fratres ("Brothers"); Filii ("Sons")
• FS. – Fossor ("Digger")
• H. – Haeres ("Heir"); Hic ("Here")
• H.L.S. – Hoc Loco Situs ("Laid [or Put] in This Place")
• H.M.F.F. – Hoc Monumentum Fieri Fecit ("Caused This Monument to be Made")
• H.S. – Hic Situs ("Laid Here")
• ID. – Idibus ("On the Ides")
• IDNE. – Indictione ("In the Indiction" – a chronological term)
• I.L.H. – Jus Liberorum Habens ("Possessing the Right of Children" – i.e., eligibility to public office under age)
• INB. – In Bono ("In Good [odour]")
• IND. – Same as IDNE
• INP – In Pace ("In Peace")
• I.X. – In Christo ("In Christ")
• K. – Kalendas ("Calends"); or Care, Carus, Cara ("Dear One"); or Carissimus[a] ("Dearest")
• K.B.M. – Karissimo Bene Merenti ("To the Most Dear and Well-deserving")
• L. – Locus ("Place")
• L.M. – Locus Monumenti ("Place of the Monument")
• L.S. – Locus Sepulchri ("Place of the Sepulchre")
• M. – Martyr, or Memoria ("Memory") or Monumentum ("Monument")
• MM. – Martyres ("Martyrs")
• M.P. – Monumentum Posuit ("Erected a Monument")
• MRT. – Merenti ("To the Deserving")
• N. – Nonas ("Nones"); or Numero ("Number")
• NN. – Nostris ("To Our" – with a plural) or Numeri ("Numbers")
• O. – Hora ("Hour"); Obiit ("Died")
• OB. IN XTO. – Obiit In Christo ("Died In Christ")
• OMS. – Omnes ("All")
• OP. – Optimus (Excellent, or Supremely Good)
• P. – Pax ("Peace"); or Pius ("Dutiful"); or Ponendum ("To be Placed"); or Pridie ("The Day Before"); or Plus ("More")
• P.C. – Poni Curavit ("Caused to be Placed")
• P.C., P. CONS. – Post Consulatum ("After the Consulate")
• P.I. – Poni Jussit ("Ordered to be Placed")
• P.M. – Plus Minus ("More or Less"); or Piae Memoriae ("Of Pious Memory"); or Post Mortem ("After Death")
• PP. – Praepositus ("Placed over")
• PR.K. – Pridie Kalendas ("The Day Before the Calends")
• PRB. – Presbyter ("Priest")
• PR.N. – Pridie Nonas ("The Day Before the Nones")
• P.T.C.S. – Pax Tibi Cum Sanctis ("Peace to Thee With the Saints")
• PZ. – Pie Zeses ("May you Live Piously" – Greek)
• Q., Qui. – Quiescit ("He Rests")
• Q.B.AN. – Qui Bixit [for Vixit] Annos ("Who lived ... years")
• Q.I.P. – Quiescat In Pace ("May he [or she] Rest in Peace")
• Q.V. – Qui Vixit ("Who Lived")
• R. – Requiescit ("He Rests"); or Refrigerio ("In [a place of] Refreshment")
• Reg. – Regionis ("Of the Region")
• S. – Suus ("His"), or Situs ("Placed"), or Sepulchrum ("Sepulchre
  Sepulchre
  The rock-cut tombs in ancient Israel are a group of hundreds of rock-cut tombs constructed in Israel in ancient times. They were cut into the rock, sometimes with elaborate facades and multiple burial chambers. Some are free-standing, but most are caves. Each tomb typically belonged to a...
  
  ")
• SC. M. – Sanctae Memoriae ("Of Holy Memory")
• SD. – Sedit ("He sat")
• SSA. – Subscripta ("Subscribed")
• S.I.D. – Spiritus In Deo ("Spirit [rests] in God")
• S.P. – Sepultus ("Buried"), or Sepulchrum ("Sepulchre")
• SS. – Sanctorum (Of the Saints)
• S.V. – Sacra Virgo ("Holy Virgin")
• T., TT. – Titulus, Tituli ("Title", "Titles")
• TM. – Testamentum ("Testament")
• V. – Vixit ("He Lived"), or Vixisti ("Thou didst Live")
• VB. – Vir Bonus ("A Good Man")
• V.C. – Vir Clarissimus ("A Most Illustrious Man")
• VV. CC. – Viri Clarissimi ("Most Illustrious Men")
• V.H. – Vir Honestus ("A Worthy Man")
• V. X. – Vivas, Care (or Cara) ("Mayest thou Live, Dear One"), or Uxor Carissima ("Most Dear Wife")
• X., XPC., XS. – Christus ("Christ
  Christ
  Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
  
  ")

Abbreviations of titles of the principal religious orders and congregations of priests

• A.A. – Augustiniani Assumptionis (Assumptionists
  Assumptionists
  The Augustinians of the Assumption constitute a congregation of Catholic religious , founded in Nîmes, southern France, by Fr. Emmanuel d'Alzon in 1845, initially approved by Rome in 1857 and definitively approved in 1864 . The current Rule of Life of the congregation draws its inspiration from...
  
  )
• A.B.A. – Antoniani Benedictini Armeni (Mechitarists
  Mechitarists
  The Mechitarists , are a congregation of Benedictine monks of the Armenian Catholic Church founded in 1712 by Abbot Mechitar of Sebastia. They are best known for their series of scholarly publications of ancient Armenian versions of otherwise lost ancient Greek texts.-History:Their eponymous...
  
  )
• C.J.M. – Congregatio Jesu et Mariae (Eudist Fathers)
• C.M. – Congregatio Missionis (Lazarists
  Lazarists
  Congregation of the Mission is a vowed order of priests and brothers associated with the Vincentian Family, a loose federation of organizations who claim St. Vincent de Paul as their founder or Patron...
  
  )
• C.M. – Congregatio Mariae (Fathers of the Company of Mary)
• C.P. – Congregatio Passionis (Passionists)
• C.PP.S. – Congregatio Pretiosissimi Sanguinis (Fathers of the Most Precious Blood)
• C.R. – Congregatio Resurrectionis (Resurrectionist
  Resurrectionist Order
  The Congregation of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is an international Institute of Consecrated Life of men within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1836 by three men, Bogdan Jański, Peter Semenenko and Hieronim Kajsiewicz in Paris on the heels of the Polish Great Emigration...
  
   Fathers)
• C.R.C.S. – Clerici Regulares Congregationis Somaschae (Somaschi Fathers)
• C.R.I.C. – Canonici Regulares Immaculatae Conceptionis ("Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception
  Immaculate Conception
  The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
  
  ")
• C.R.L. – Canonici Regulares Lateranenses ("Canons Regular of the Lateran
  Lateran
  Lateran and Laterano are the shared names of several architectural projects throughout Rome. The properties were once owned by the Lateranus family of the former Roman Empire...
  
  ")
• C.R.M. – Clerici Regulares Minores ("Clerks Regular Minor", Mariani
  Mariani
  Mariani is a neighbourhood town of Jorhat City. It is about 17.5 km for Jorhat Railway station. Mariani is in the border of Nagaland. Mariani is famous for the diamonds Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary which is located on the road side on the way to Nakachari from Mariani at a distance of...
  
  )
• C.R.M.D. – Clerici Regulares Matris Dei ("Clerks Regular of the Mother of God")
• C.R.M.I. – Clerici Regulares Ministrantes Infirmis ("Clerks Regular Attendant on the Sick", Camillini
  Camillians
  The Camillians or Ministers to the Sick are a Roman Catholic religious order of the type of Regular Clerks, founded by Saint Camillus de Lellis. A red cross was chosen by Camillus as the distinguishing badge for the members of the Order to wear upon their black cassocks...
  
  , Camilliani
  Camillians
  The Camillians or Ministers to the Sick are a Roman Catholic religious order of the type of Regular Clerks, founded by Saint Camillus de Lellis. A red cross was chosen by Camillus as the distinguishing badge for the members of the Order to wear upon their black cassocks...
  
  )
• C.R.P. – Congregatio Reformatorum Praemonstratensium (Premonstratensians)
• C.R.S.P. – Clerici Regulares Sancti Pauli (Barnabites
  Barnabites
  The Barnabites, or Clerics Regular of Saint Paul is a Roman Catholic order.-Establishment of the Order :It was founded in 1530 by three Italian noblemen: St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria The Barnabites, or Clerics Regular of Saint Paul (Latin: Clerici Regulares Sancti Pauli, abbr. B.) is a Roman Catholic...
  
  )
• C.R.S.P. – Clerici Regulares Pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum ("Clerks Regular of the Poor Men of the Mother of God for Pious Schools", Piarists
  Piarists
  The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
  
  )
• C.R.T. – Clerici Regulares Theatini (Theatines
  Theatines
  The Theatines or the Congregation of Clerks Regular of the Divine Providence are a male religious order of the Catholic Church, with the post-nominal initials "C.R."-Foundation:...
  
  )
• C.S.B. – Congregatio Sancti Basilii (Basilians
  Congregation of St. Basil
  The Basilian Fathers, also known as The Congregation of Saint Basil, is an international order of Catholic priests and students studying for the priesthood, who focus on education and ministering through oratories....
  
  )
• C.S.C. – Congregatio Sanctae Crucis (Fathers and Brothers of the Holy Cross)
• C.S.P. – Congregatio Sancti Pauli (Paulists
  Paulists
  Paulists, or Paulines, is the name used for several Roman Catholic Orders and Congregations taken in honour and under the patronage of St. Paul the Hermit....
  
  )
• C.S. Sp. – Congregatio Sancti Spiritus (Holy Ghost Fathers
  Holy Ghost Fathers
  The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
  
  )
• C.S.V. – Clerici Sancti Viatoris (Clerks, or Clerics, of St. Viateur)
• C.SS.CC. – Congregatio Sacratissimorum Cordium (Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary)
• C. SS. R. – Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris (Redemptorists)
• Inst. Char. – Institutum C(h)aritatis (Rosminians
  Rosminians
  The Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata, are a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828....
  
  )
• M.C. – Missionaries of Charity
• M.S. – Missionaries of La Salette (France)
• M.S.C. – Missionarii Sancti Caroli ("Missionaries of St. Charles")
• M.S.C. – Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis ("Missionaries of the Most Sacred Heart")
• O.C. – Ordo C(h)aritatis (Fathers of the Order of Charity)
• O. Camald. – Ordo Camaldulensium (Camaldolese
  Camaldolese
  The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
  
  )
• O. Cart. – Ordo Cartusiensis (Carthusians)
• O. Cist. – Ordo Cisterciensium (Cistercians)
• O.C.C. – Ordo Carmelitarum Calceatorum (Carmelites
  Carmelites
  The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
  
  )
• O.C.D. – Ordo Carmelitarum Discalceatorum (Discalced, or Barefoot, Carmelites)
• O.C.R. – Ordo Reformatorum Cisterciensium (Cistercians, Trappists
  Trappists
  The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
  
  )
• O.F.M. – Ordo Fratrum Minorum (Observant Franciscans)
• O.M. – Ordo [Fratrum] Minimorum (Minims of St. Francis of Paola
  Minim (religious order)
  The Minims are members of a Roman Catholic religious order of friars founded by Saint Francis of Paola in fifteenth-century Italy...
  
  )
• O. Merced. – Ordo Beatae Mariae Virginis de Redemptione Captivorum (Mercedarians
  Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
  The Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives also known as Our Lady of Ransom is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1218 by St...
  
  , Nolaschi)
• O.M.C. – Ordo Minorum Conventualium (Conventual Franciscans
  Conventual Franciscans
  The Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
  
  )
• O.M. Cap., O.F.M. Cap., O.M.C. – Ordo Minorum Cappucinorum (Capuchins
  Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
  The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
  
  )
• O.M.I. – Oblati Mariae Immaculatae (Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate
  Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
  The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
  
  )
• O.P., Ord. Fratr. Praed. – Ordo Praedicatorum (Dominicans
  Dominican Order
  The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
  
  )
• Ord. Praem. – Ordo Praemonstratensium (Premonstratensian
  Premonstratensian
  The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
  
  s, Norbertines)
• O.S.A. – Ordo [Eremitarum] Sancti Augustini (Augustinians
  Augustinians
  The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
  
  )
• O.S.B. – Ordo Sancti Benedicti (Benedictine
  Benedictine
  Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
  
  s)
• O.S.C. – Oblati Sancti Caroli (Oblate Fathers of St. Charles)
• O.S.F.C. – Ordinis Sancti Francisci Capuccini (Franciscan Capuchins
  Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
  The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
  
  )
• O.S.F.S. – Oblati Sancti Francisci Salesii (Oblate Fathers of St. Francis of Sales)
• O.S.H. – Ordo [Eremitarum] Sancti Hieronymi (Hieronymites
  Hieronymites
  Hieronymites, or the Order of St. Jerome , is a common name for several congregations of hermits living according to the Rule of St. Augustine, with supplementary regulations taken from the writings of the 5th-century monk and scholar, St Jerome. The principal group with this name was founded in...
  
  )
• O.S.M. – Ordo Servorum Mariae (Servites)
• O.SS.C. – Oblati Sacratissimi Cordis ("Oblate Fathers of the Sacred Heart")
• O. Trinit. – Ordo Sanctissimae Trinitatis (Trinitarians)
• P.O. – Pretres de l'Oratoire, Presbyteri Oratorii (Oratorians)
• P.S.M. – Pia Societas Missionum (Fathers of the Pious Society of Missions, Pallottini)
• P.S.S. – Presbyteri Sancti Sulpicii, Pretres de S. Sulpice (Sulpicians)
• S.C. – Salesianorum Congregatio (Congregation of St. Francis of Sales – Salesian Fathers)
• S.D.S. – Societas Divini Salvatoris ("Society of the Divine Saviour")
• S.D.V. – Societas Divini Verbi (Fathers of the Divine Word)
• S.J. – Societas Jesu ("Society of Jesus", i.e. the Jesuits)
• S.M. – Societas Mariae (Marists)
• S.P.M. – Societas Patrum Misericordiae (Fathers of Mercy)
• S.J.C. – Canonici Regulares Sancti Joannis Cantii (Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius
  Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius
  The Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius is a clerical Institute of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church, founded in 1998 in the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Society of St. John Cantius by Fr. C. Frank Phillips, C.R., the pastor of St. John Cantius Church in Chicago...
  
  )
• S.S.C. – Columban Fathers
  Missionary Society of St. Columban
  The Missionary Society of St. Columban , also known as "The Columbans", is a missionary, Catholic religious order, founded in Ireland in 1916 and approved by the Vatican in 1918. Initially it was known as the Maynooth Mission to China...
  
  (Missionary Society of St Columban)
• S.S.S. – Societas Sanctissimi Sacramenti (Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament)

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