• Ad Valorem : Value added. An example of an ad valorem tax would be VAT.
• Advances: Loans given by financial institutions
• Appreciation: An increase in the value of an asset.
• Arbitrage: Movements of funds to take advantage of differences in exchange or interest rates,and this quickly eliminates any such differences.
• Average cost pricing : Setting price equal to average cost.
• Average propensity to consume: The proportion of disposable income spent: apc = C/Y
• Amortization: Writing down the value of an asset in a company’s books to reflect its loss of value through age and use. Called depreciation in the UK. Amortization is also an accounting term to pay off a loan in gradual increments.
• Barter: The direct exchange of goods and services without the use of money
• Birth rate: The number of live births per thousand of the population in a year
• Black economy: Unrecorded production
• Backward integration: Occurs when a company joins with a firm that is involved at an earlier stage of the production chain
• Balance of payments: Statement of a country’s net financial transactions with other countries. Current account measures balance of imports and exports and payments and receipts for services such as shipping, banking and tourism. Capital account measures movements of capital (bank deposits, securities, shares, property).
• Balance of trade: The difference between the value of visible exports and visible imports.
• Black markets: Created when buyers and sellers meet to negotiate the exchange of a prohibited or illegal good. More generally any unofficial market in which prices are inordinately high.
• Bull market: Period of rising share prices; an optimistic state of affairs; the opposite of a bear market.
• Buyer`s market: The quantity of goods for sale exceeds the amount consumers are willing and able to buy at the current market price. Characterised by low prices
• Bonds: Certificate of debt issued to raise funds. It normally has a fixed rate of interest and is repayable at a fixed date. See also convertible bonds, mortgage-backed securities.
• Break-even: When a firm`s short run total revenue equals its short run total cost
• Bretton Woods system: An arrangement of fixed exchange rates which operated between 1945 and 1971.
• Capital gains: The difference between the sale and purchase price of an asset.
• Ceteris paribus: All other influencing factors are held constant
• Call option: The right but not the obligation to buy a security at a specified price at a specified date in the future.
• Call rates: The interest rate on money loaned overnight. Also known as the overnight rate. Widely used measure of money market rates.
• Consumer surplus: This occurs when people are able to buy a good for less than they would be willing to pay. They enjoy more utility than they had to pay for.
• Closed economy: An economy which does not engage in international trade.
• Collusion: Agreements between firms to restrict competition.
• Complementary goods: Two goods consumed at the same time eg cars and petrol
• Corporation tax: A tax on firms` profits.
• Consumer’s Price Index: Measure of the change in the cost of consumer goods and services. It is used as an indicator of a nation’s inflation rate.
• Cost benefit analysis: A method of assessing investment projects which takes into account social costs and benefits.
• Cost of living: The general level of prices in the economy usually measured by the retail price index.
• Cost plus pricing: Setting prices by adding a profit margin to average cost
• Cost push inflation: When a cost of production (e.g. wages) increases and firms put up prices to maintain profits.
• Credit creation: The ability of the banking sector to create money by giving advances.
• Crowding out: A decline in private sector spending resulting from a rise in public sector expenditure.
• Current account: Usually taken to mean the current account of the balance of payments.
• Current account balance: A record of a country`s earnings from the sale of visible and invisible items minus its expenditure on visible and invisible items from aborad.
• Current account deficit: When a country spends more on visible and invisible items from aborad than it earns from the sale of visible and invisible items.
• Death rate: The number of deaths per thousand of the population in a year
• Debentures: Long term fixed interest loans to companies.
• Demand pull inflation: Occurs when aggregate demand exceeds aggregate supply
• Depreciation of sterling: When market forces lower the value of the £ from one fixed rate to another.
• De-merging: One company splits up to form two new firms. These new firms are frequently companies which used to be separate prior to the initial merger.
• Demand curve: A graph which shows the amount of a good consumers are willing and able to buy at various prices
• Demand-pull inflation: This occurs when the excess of aggregate demand over aggregate supply causes an increase in the general level of prices.
• Deregulation: The removal of controls on a particular market eg abandonment of a licensing system for taxis
• Devaluation of sterling: Occurs when the UK government lowers the value of the £ from one fixed rate to another
• Developed countries: Countries with high levels of real national income per head and relatively large tertiary sectors.
• Developing countries: Countries with low levels of real national income per head and relatively large primary sectors.
• Direct taxation: Taxes on income and wealth
• Discounting: Future costs and benefits are difficult to measure. The present value (P) of future benefits less costs is found by discounting
• Disequilibrium: A state of imbalance in which there is tendency for change.
• Double counting: Including transfer payments, intermediate expenditures or outputs and stock appreciation in national accounts
• Dumping: The sale of goods in a foreign country at a price below what costed in the Home market.
• Engel curve: A curve showing the relationship between income and consumption
• Economies of scale: A reduction in long run unit costs which arise form an increase in production
• Elasticity of demand: The responsiveness of demand to a given change in price or income.
• Elasticity of supply: The responsiveness of supply to a given change in price
• Earnings per share: Net income of a company net of preferred dividends divided by a weighted average of total shares outstanding for the period. One of the most widely watched indicators of the profitability of a company.
• Exchange rate: The price of one currency in terms of another currency. More generally,the price at which any good is being traded for another good.
• Exchange rate mechanism (ERM): Exchange rate mechanism (ERM): A system operated by some members of the European Union where the Central Banks of members intervene to stabilise the exchange rate of currencies within agreed limits
• Factor cost: The value of output measured in terms of the cost of the factors of production used to produce it
• Factor incomes: Rewards to the factors of production eg labour receives wages.
• Fisher`s Quantity Theory of Money: The view that changes in the money supply have a direct and proportionate effect on the price level
• Forward market: A market in forward contracts of a commodity or currency, which are agreements to buy or sell the commodity or currency at a future date. The contracts are not negotiable.
• Free goods: A good in unlimited supply at zero price,eg air
• Free trade area: A group of countries which removes tariff barriers between member countries but allows each member to decide on its own tariff policy towards non-members
• GDP: The total value of all goods and services produced domestically each year by a country. It equals gross national product minus income from abroad. Most countries use this definition; US official statistics use gross national product.
• GNP: The total value of goods and services produced each year by a country. Real growth in GNP measures the increase in output after subtracting the effect of inflation.
• Giffen good: An increase in income results in a fall in demand for the good
• Gross domestic fixed capital formation: Total spending on fixed investment eg machines,factories,offices.
• Horizontal integration: Two companies merge in the same industry and at the same stage of production;
• Human Development Index: An index devised by the UN to assess comparative levels of development in countries. Its three main metrix are literacy, life expectancy and purchasing power parity (PPP)-adjusted income.
• Income tax: Tax levied by the government on wages,rent,interest and dividends
• Indifference curves: Curves which show the different combinations of two goods which give equal satisfaction
• Index: A benchmark against which financial or economic performance is measured, such as the FTSE 100 or a consumer price index. Created by statistical sampling of broad set of data. To reflect the importance of the biggest companies, stock market indices tended to be weighted either by price, eg, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, or market capitalisation, eg, the S&P500 and most European stock indices.
• Index funds: Mutual fund that aims to track the performance of a specific stock market index. Such funds are passively managed and thus tend to have lower charges than actively managed funds.
• Indirect taxation: A surcharge on price imposed on the sale of goods and services by the government
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): An organisation established to encourage international co-operation in the monetary field, the stabilisation of exchange rates and the removal of foreign exchange restrictions.
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: More commonly known as the World Bank.It gives long term loans to member countries for high priority infrastructure,agricultural,industrial and educational projects
• IS-LM: A model of income determination that integrates the goods market (represented by investment and saving) and the money market (demand and supply of money)
• J effect: The tendency for a fall in the value of the currency to worsen the balance of trade before it improves the position
• Keynes: UK economist who urged state intervention to achieve full employment
• Liabilities: Money owed
• Limited companies: Companies which have limited liability
• Liquidity ratio: The proportion of a commercial bank`s assets which can be converted into cash quickly.
• Liquidity trap: When the rate of interest is so low (and the price of bonds is so high) that everyone anticipates a future fall in the price of bonds
• Long run: Period of time when all factor inputs,including capital,can be changed
• Lorenz curve: A curve showing the proportion of income earned by a comulative percentage of the population
• Macroeconomic policies: Policies designed to influence the level of employment,the price level,economic growth and the balance of payments
• Marginal cost curve: A curve showing the addition to total cost resulting from producing one more unit
• Most Favoured Nation (MFN): US trade policy that gives to a trading partner the same customs and tariff treatment as the most-favored nation.
• Multi Fibre Agreement(MFA): Provision of GATT governing international trade in textiles that lets a country apply numerical restrictions on textile imports when it considers them necessary to prevent market disruption. MFA provides a framework for regulating international trade in textiles and apparel. It covers wool, man-made (synthetic) fibers, silk blends and other vegetable fiber textiles and apparel.
• Marginal propensity to consume: The proportion of each extra pound of disposable income spent by households
• Marginal propensity to save: The proportion of each extra pound of disposable income not spent by households
• Monopolistic competition: An industry made up of a large number of small firms who produce goods which are only slightly different from that of all other sellers
• Monopsony: A market where there is only a single buyer of a good.
• Marginal revenue: The income received from the sale of one extra unit
• Microeconomics: The behaviour of an individual consumer,firm and industry
• Monetarists: A group of economists who believe that changes in the money supply have a significant impact on the economy.
• Money illusion: May occur where people confuse changes in nominal balances with changes in real balances.
• Mutual Fund: US name for an open-ended managed fund not quoted on a stock exchange, equivalent to a unit trust in the UK. Mutual funds are a popular way for individuals to spread the risk of investing in bonds and equities and are much used for retirement savings.
• NASDAQ: Started in the US 1971 as an automated over-the-counter securities quotes system – the acronym stands for National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation. Nasdaq evolved into the world’s first electronic stock market,
• Neo-classical Theory: The view that markets operate efficiently and that the way to increase output and employment is to raise aggregate supply.
• Net Asset Value(NAV): The market value of a fund share, usually calculated daily after the close of trading.
• North American Foreign trade agreement (NAFTA): Free trade agreement involving Canada, the US and Mexico entered into in January 1994. It progressively eliminates almost all bilateral trade barriers between the three countries.
• Offer curve of labour: The number of hours labour is prepared to work at different levels of income.
• Oligopolies: Markets dominated by a few sellers who account for a large proportion of output
• Open market operations: Where the Bank of England sells short term government securities and bills,thereby reducing retail banks` liquid assets and raising interest rates
• OECD: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
• Oligopoly: A market dominated by a very few sellers who account for a large proportion of output
• Opportunity cost: The decision to produce or consume a product involves giving up another product. The real cost of an action is the next best alternative forgone.
• OTC (over the counter): Trading in shares away from organised exchanges; it is usually carried out over the telephone or via a computer network.
• Pareto criteria: A reallocation of resources is desirable only if someone gains and no one loses
• Perfect competition: An industry made up of a large number of small firms,each selling homogeneous (identical) products to a large number of buyers.
• Phillips curve: Shows the relationship between the rate of unemploymnent and the rate of inflation
• Price discrimination: When the same product is sold in different markets for different prices
• Price elasticity of demand: Measures the responsiveness of demand to a given change in price
• Price elasticity of supply: Measures the responsiveness of supply to a given change in price:
• Primary sector: That part of the economy concerned with agriculture and the extraction of raw materials
• Primary Markets: The placing of new stocks, shares, bonds, etc. Existing securities are traded in the secondary market.
• Producer surpluses: The difference between the minimum price a producer would accept to supply a given quantity of a good and the price actually received.
• Progressive income tax: A tax which takes a higher percentage of the income of the rich than the poor
• Purchasing Power Parity Theory: Suggests that the prices of goods in countries will tend to equate under floating exchange rates so that people would be able to purchase the same quantity of goods in any country for a given sum of money
• Quantity Theory of Money: The view that changes in the money supply have a direct and proportionate effect on the price level.
• Repo rate: The interest rate at which a central bank will lend against the security of its government’s paper.
• SDRs: Special drawing rights- a form of international money created by the IMF which is acceptable in settlement of debts between countries.
• Secondary sector: That part of the economy concerned with the manufacture of goods.
• Shadow prices: estimated prices in situations where market prices do not exist.
• Shares: Securities issued by companies as a way of raising long term capital. Holders are owners of the company
• Spot market: That part of the foreign exchange market concerned with the buying and selling of currencies for immediate use.
• Subsidies: Payments to producers or consumers designed to encourage an increase in output.
• Subsistence: The minimum income needed to survive
• Supply side economics: The branch of economies concerned with the productive potential of the economy and how to increase it
• Tertiary sector: That part of the economy concerned with the provision of services
• Trade-off: What has to be sacrificed in order to obtain a good,it is equivalent to opportunity cost.
• Transfer pricing: Setting internal prices to charge other branches of the same company.
• VAT: value added tax
• Zero based budgeting: Setting a budget in which all spending must be justified each year, not just amounts in excess of the previous year.

3Hyp – Code for the uncommon amino acid 3-hydroxyproline.
4Hyp – Code for the uncommon amino acid 4-hydroxyproline.
4F1G – 4% formaldehyde and 1% gluteraldehyde.
5-FOA – 5-Fluoroacetic acid.

A
A – (1) Adenine or adenosine; (2) One letter code for the amino acid alanine.
A₂₆₀ – Absorbance as measured at 260nm.
aa – aminoacyl
Aad – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 3-aminoadipic acid.
Abu – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 2-aminobutyric acid.
ac – Acetyl.
Ac – Symbol for the element actinium.
ACD – blood anticoagulant
ADP – Adenosine 5′-diphosphate.
Ade – Three letter code for adenine.
Ado – Three letter code for adenosine.
Ag – Symbol for the element silver.
aHyl – Code for the uncommon amino acid allo-hydroxylysine.
aIle – Code for the uncommon amino acid allo-isoleucine.
Al – Symbol for the element aluminum.
Ala – Three letter code for the amino acid alanine.
Am – Symbol for the element americium.
AMP – Adenosine monophosphate.
an – Anisoyl.
AP – Alkaline phosphatase.
Apm – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 3-aminopimelic acid.
Ar – Symbol for the element argon.
Arg – Three letter code for the amino acid arginine.
As – Symbol for the element arsenic.
Asn – Three letter code for the amino acid asparagine.
Asp – Three letter code for the amino acid aspartic acid.
At – Symbol for the element astatine.
ATP – Adenosine 5′-triphosphate.
Au – Symbol for the element gold.

B
B – (1) Symbol for the element boron; (2) One letter code for bromouridine.
Ba – Symbol for the element barium.
BAP – Bacterial alkaline phosphatase.
BCIP – 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoyl phosphate.
Be – Symbol for the element beryllium.
bh – Benzhydryl.
Bh – Symbol for the element bohrium.
Bi – Symbol for the element bismuth.
Bio-dNTP – Biotin-deoxynucleoside triphosphate.
Bk – Symbol for the element berkelium.
bp – Nucleotide base pair.
br – Bromo.
Br – Symbol for the element bromine.
BrUrd – Abbreviation for bromouridine.
BSA – Bovine serum albumin.
B/W – Blue/White cloning.
bz – Benzoyl.
bzl – Benzyl.

C
C – (1) Cytosine or cytidine; (2) One letter code for the amino acid cysteine; (3) Symbol for the element carbon; (4) One letter code for the amino acid cysteine.
Ca – Symbol for the element calcium.
CA – Casamino acids.
Cd – Symbol for the element cadmium.
cDNA – Complementary deoxyribonucleic acid
Ce – Symbol for the element cerium.
Cf – Symbol for the element californium.
Ci – Curie
CIAP – Calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase.
cl – Chloro.
Cl – Symbol for the element chlorine.
Cm – Symbol for the element curium.
Co – Symbol for the element cobalt.
cpm – Counts per minute.
Cr – Symbol for the element chromium.
Cs – Symbol for the element cesium.
CTP – Cytidine 5′-triphosphate.
Cu – Symbol for the element copper.
Cyd – Three letter code for Cytidine
Cys – Three letter code for the amino acid cysteine.
Cyt – Three letter code for cytosine.

D
D – (1) One letter code for the amino acid aspartic acid; (2) One letter code for dihydrouridine.
Da – Dalton.
dAMP – Deoxyadenosine monophosphate.
dATP – Deoxyadenosine triphosphate.
Db – Symbol for the element dubnium (formerly unnipentium).
Dbu – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 2,4-diaminobutyric acid.
dCTP – Deoxycytidine triphosphate.
ddATP – Dideoxyadenosine triphosphate.
ddCTP – Dideoxycytidine triphosphate.
ddGTP – Dideoxyguanosine triphosphate.
ddNTP – Dideoxynucleoside triphosphate.
DEPC – Diethyl pyrocarbonate.
DIG – Digoxigenin.
dGTP – Deoxyguanosine triphosphate.
DMSO – Dimethyl sulfoxide.
dmt – Dimethoxytrityl.
DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid.
DNase – Deoxyribonuclease.
dns – Dansyl.
dNTP – Deoxynucleoside triphosphate.
dpm – Disintegrations per minute.
Dpm – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 2,2′-diaminopimelic acid.
Dpr – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid 2,3-diaminopropionic acid.
ds – Double stranded.
DTT – Dithiothreitol
dTTP – Deoxythymidine triphosphate.
dUTP – Deoxyuridine triphosphate.
Dy – Symbol for the element dysprosium.

E
E – (1) One letter code for the amino acid glutamic acid; (2) abbreviation for ethyl.
EDTA – Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid.
EGTA – Ethylene glycol tetracetic acid.
ELISA – Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
EMBL – European Molecular Biology Laboratory
ENDO – Endodeoxyribonuclease assay.
Er – Symbol for the element erbium.
Es – Symbol for the element einsteinium.
Eu – Symbol for the element europium.
exo – Exonuclease.
EXO – 5′ and 3′ exodeoxyribonuclease assay.

F
F – (1) Symbol for the element fluorine; (2) One letter symbol for the amino acid phenylalanine (3) formyl.
fa – Formylaminoacyl.
Fe – Symbol for the element iron.
fl – Fluoro.
Fm – Symbol for the element fermium.
FOA – 5-Fluoroacetic acid.
Fr – Symbol for the element francium.

G
G – (1) Guanine or Guanosine; (2) One letter code for the amino acid glycine.
Ga – Symbol for the element gallium.
Gal – D-galactose.
Gd – Symbol for the element gadolinium.
Ge – Symbol for the element germanium.
Gln – Three letter code for the amino acid glutamine.
Glu – Three letter code for the amino acid glutamic acid.
Gly – Three letter code for the amino acid glycine.
GTGB – Glycerol tolerant gel buffer.
Gua – Three letter code for guanine.
Guo – Three letter code for guanosine.
GUS – Beta-D-glucuronidase.

H
H – (1) Symbol for the element hydrogen; (2) One letter code for the amino acid histidine; (3) dihydro.
HBSS – Hank’s Buffered Salt Solution.
He – Symbol for the element helium.
HEPES – N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N’-(2-ethanesulfonic acid).
Hf – Symbol for the element hafnium.
Hg – Symbol for the element mercury.
His – Three letter code for the amino acid histidine.
hm – Hydroxymethyl.
ho – Hydroxy.
Ho – Symbol for the element holmium.
HRP – Horseradish peroxidase.
HPLC – High performance liquid chromatography.
Hs – Symbol for the element hassium.
hU – Symbol for dihydrouridine.
Hyl – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid hydroxylysine.
Hyp – Three letter code for hypoxanthine.

I
I – (1) Symbol for the element iodine; (2) One letter code for the amino acid isoleucine; (3) One letter code for inosine; (4) Isopentenyl.
IEF – Isoelectric focusing.
Ile – Three letter code for the amino acid isoleucine.
In – Symbol for the element indium.
Ino – Three letter code for inosine.
io – Iodo.
IPTG – Isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside.
Ir – Symbol for the element iridium.

K
K – (1) Symbol for the element potassium; (2) One letter code for the amino acid lysine.
kb – Kilobase.
kDa – KiloDalton.
Kr – Symbol for the element krypton.

L
L – One letter code for the amino acid leucine.
La – Symbol for the element lanthanum.
LB – Luria Bertani media.
Leu – Three letter code for the amino acid leucine.
Li – Symbol for the element lithium.
Lr – Symbol for the element lawrencium.
Lu – Symbol for the element lutetium.
Lys – Three letter code for the amino acid lysine.

M
M – (1) One letter code for the amino acid methionine; (2) One letter code for thioinosine; (3) Methyl.
MCS – Multiple cloning site.
Md – Symbol for the element mendelevium.
MeGly – Code for the uncommon amino acid N-methylglycine.
Met – Three letter code for the amino acid methionine.
Mg – Symbol for the element magnesium.
MMLV – Moloney murine leukemia virus.
mmt – Monomethoxytrityl.
Mn – Symbol for the element manganese.
Mo – Symbol for the element molybdenum.
MOPS – 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid.
mRNA – Messenger ribonucleic acid.
Mt – Symbol for the element meitnerium.
MW – Molecular weight.

N
N – (1) Nucleotide or nucleoside; (2) Symbol for the element nitrogen; (3) One letter code for the amino acid asparagine.
Na – Symbol for the element sodium.
NAD – Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.
NADH – Reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.
NADP – Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate.
NADPH – Reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phophate.
Nb – Symbol for the element niobium.
NBT – Nitro blue tetrazolium.
Nd – Symbol for the element neodymium.
Ne – Symbol for the element neon.
Ni – Symbol for the element nickel.
Nle – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid norisoleucine.
No – Symbol for the element nobelium.
Np – Symbol for the element neptunium.
NP-40 – Nonidet P-40.
nt – Nucleotide.
NTP – Nucleoside triphosphate.
Nuc – Three letter code for nucleotide or nucleoside.
Nva – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid norvaline.
NZCYM – NZ amine, NaCl, bacto-yeast extract, casamino acids, and magnesium sulfate.
NZM – NZ amine, NaCl, and magnesium sulfate.
NZYM – NZ amine, NaCl, bacto-yeast extract, and magnesium sulfate.

O
O – (1) Symbol for the element oxygen; (2) One letter code for orotidine.
oh – Hydroxy.
oilgo(dT) – Oligodeoxythymidylic acid.
OMP – Orotidine monophosphate.
Ord – Three letter code for orotidine.
Orn – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid ornithine.
Oro – Three letter code for orotate.
Os – Symbol for the element osmium.

P
P – (1) Symbol for the element phosphorus; (2) One letter code for the amino acid proline.
Pa – Symbol for the element protoactinium.
Pb – Symbol for the element lead.
PBMC – Peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Pd – Symbol for the element palladium.
PAGE – Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
PBS – Phosphate buffered saline.
PCR – Polymerase chain reaction.
PEI – Polyethylenimine.
PEG – Polyethylene glycol.
Phe – Three letter code for the amino acid phenylalanine
P_i – Inorganic phosphate.
PIPES – Piperazine-N,N’-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid).
Pm – Symbol for the element promethium.
Po – Symbol for the element polonium.
Pr – Symbol for the element praseodymium.
Pro – Three letter symbol for the amino acid proline.
Pt – Symbol for the element platinum.
PNK – Polynucleotide kinase.
poly(A) – Polyadenylic acid.
poly(A)⁺ – Polyadenylated (mRNA).
poly(dA-dT) – Poly (deoxyadenlic acid – deoxythymidylic acid).
poly(dT) – Polydeoxythymidylic acid.
Pu – Symbol for the element plutonium.
Puo – Thee letter code for purine nucleoside.
Pur – Three letter code for purine.
Pyd – Thee letter code for pyrimidine nucleoside.
Pyr – Three letter code for pyrimidine.

Q
Q – One letter code for the amino acid glutamine.

R
R – (1) One letter code for the amino acid arginine; (2) One letter code for a purine nucleoside or nucleotide.
Ra – Symbol for the element radium.
RBC – Red blood cell.
Rb – Symbol for the element rubidium.
Re – Symbol for the element rhenium.
Rf – Symbol for the element rutherfordium (formerly unniquadium).
Rh – Symbol for the element rhodium.
Rn – Symbol for the element radon.
RNA – Ribonucleic acid.
RNAse – Ribonuclease.
rRNA – Ribosomal ribonucleic acid.
RT – Reverse transcriptase.
Ru – Symbol for the element ruthenium.

S
S – (1) Symbol for the element sulfur; (2) One letter code for the amino acid serine; (3) One letter code for thiouridine; (4) Thio or Mercapto.
Sar – Three letter code for the uncommon amino acid sarcosine.
Sb – Symbol for the element antimony.
Sc – Symbol for the element scandium.
SDS – Sodium dodecyl sulfate.
Se – Symbol for the element selenium.
Ser – Three letter code for the amino acid serine.
Sg – Symbol for the element seaborgium.
Shyp – Abbreviation for mercaptopurine.
Si – Symbol for the element silicon.
SIno – Abbreviation for for thioinosine.
Sm – Symbol for the element samarium.
Sn – Symbol for the element tin.
Sno – Three letter code for thioinosine.
Sr – Symbol for the element strontium.
Srd – Three letter code for thiouridine.
ss – Single stranded.
SSC – Sodium chloride/sodium citrate buffer.
SSPE – Sodium chloride/sodium phosphate/EDTA buffer.
SU – Two letter code for thiouridine.
Sur – Three letter code for thiouracil.
SUra – Abbreviation for thiouracil.
Syp – Three letter code for mercaptopurine.

T
T – (1) Thymine or thymidine; (2) One letter code for the amino acid threonine; (3) One letter code for ribothymidine.
Ta – Symbol for the element tantalum.
TAE – Tris/acetate/EDTA buffer.
Tb – Symbol for the element terbium.
TBE – Tris/borate/EDTA buffer.
TBS (1X) – Tris buffered saline.
TBST – Tris buffered saline with tween-20.
Tc – Symbol for the element technietium.
TdT – Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase.
Te – Symbol for the element tellurium.
TE – Tris/EDTA buffer.
TEMED – N’,N’,N’,N’-Tetramethylethylenediamine.
TES – (1) N-Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid; (2) Tris, EDTA, and sodium chloride.
TGB – Tris glycine buffer.
Th – Symbol for the element thorium.
Thd – Three letter code for ribothymidine.
thp – Tetrahydropyranyl.
Thr – Three letter code for the amino acid threonine.
Thy – Three letter code for thymine.
Tl – Symbol for the element thalium.
Ti – Symbol for the element titanium.
TLC – Thin layer chromotography.
T_m – Melting temperature.
Tm – Symbol for the element thulium.
TMB – 3,3′,5,5′-Tetramethylbenzidine.
TNE – Tris and NaEDTA.
tos – Tosyl.
TPE – Tris/phosphate/EDTA buffer.
tr – Trityl.
TRICINE – N-Tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine.
Tris – Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane.
Trp – Three letter code for the amino acid tryptophan.
tRNA – Transfer ribonucleic acid.
TSY – Trypticase soy yeast.
Tyr – Three letter code for the amino acid tyrosine.

U
U – (1) Uracil or uridine; (2) Symbol for the element uranium.
Ura – Three letter code for uracil.
Urd – Three letter code for uridine.
UTP – Uridine triphosphate.
Uub – Symbol for the element ununbium.
Uun – Symbol for the element ununnilium.
Uuu – Symbol for the element unununium.
UV – Ultraviolet.

V
V – (1) Symbol for the element vanadium; (2) One letter code for the amino acid valine.
Val – Three letter code for the amino acid valine.
v/v - volume/volume

W
W – (1) Symbol for the element tungsten; (2) One letter code for the amino acid tryptophan.
w/v – weight/volume

X
X – One letter code for unkown or other uncommon amino acid.
X-Gal – 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside.
X-Gluc – 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoyl-beta-D-glucuronic acid.
Xan – Three letter code for xanthine.
Xe – Symbol for the element xenon.

Y
Y – (1) Symbol for the element yttrium; (2) One letter code for the amino acid tyrosine; (3) One letter code for a pyrimidine nucleoside or nucleotide.
Yb – Symbol for the element ytterbium.
YMG – Yeast and malt extract with glucose.
YPD Media – Yeast extract/peptone/dextrose.
YPG Media – Yeast extract/peptone/galactose.
YT Media – Yeast extract/tryptone.

Z
Zn – Symbol for the element zinc.
Zr – Symbol for the element zirconium.

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X, Y, Z
XML: eXtensible Markup Language
YMCA: Young Men’s Christian Association
YWCA: Young Women’s Christian Association

WADA: World Anti-Doping Agency
WAP: Wireless Application Protocol
WAVE: Wireless Access for Virtual Enterprise
WDF: Wasteland Development Force
WEF: World Economic Forum
WFP: World Food Programme
WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions
WGIG: Working Group on Internet Governance
WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organisation
WLL: Wireless in Local Loop
WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction
WR: Western Railway
WTO: World Trade Organisation (previously called GATT); also World Tourism Organisation

VAT: Value-added Tax
VC: Vice-Chancellor; Vice Counsel; Victoria Cross; Vir Chakra
VDIS: Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme
VHRR: Very High Resolution Radiometer
VIP: Very Important Person
VLSI: Very Large Scale Integration
VOIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol
VPN: Virtual Private Network
VPP: Value Payable Post
VRS: Voluntary Retirement Scheme
VSAT: Very Small Aperture Terminals

U
UAE: United Arab Emirates
UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UF: United Front
UFO: Unidentified Flying Object
UGC: University Grants Commission
ULFA: United Liberation Front of Assam
UN: United Nations
UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNDP: United Nations Development Programme
UNEF: United Nations Emergency Force
UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
UNFPO: United Nations Fund for Population Activities
UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNHRC: United Nations Human Rights Commission
UNI: United News of India
UNICEF: United Nations International Children’s (Emergency) Fund
UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
UNRRA: United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
UNTAC: United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia
UPA: United Progressive Alliance
UPSC: Union Public Service Commission
UPTN: Universal Personal Telephone Number
USA: United States of America
USIS: United States Information Service

TA: Travelling Allowance; Territorial Army
TAAI: Travel Agents Association of India
TACDE: Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment
TADA: Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act
TAPS: Tarapur Atomic Power Station
TB: Tuberculosis
TDC: Transport Development Council
TDS: Tax Deduction at Source
TDSAT: Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal
TERLS: Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
TIFR: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
TIN: Tax Information Network
TINXSYS: Tax Information Exchange System
TISCO: Tata Iron and Steel Company
TMC: Terrain Mapping Camera
TMO: Telegraphic Money Order
TNT: Tri-nitro-toluene (high explosive)
TPP: 20-Point Programme
TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
TRIMs: Trade Related Investment Measures
TRIPS: Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights
TRP: Television Rating Points; Tax Return Preparer
TRYSEM: Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment
TTE: Travelling Ticket Examiner
TTF: Tourism Task Force

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation
SAFTA: South Asian Free Trade Area
SAIL: Steel Authority of India Limited
SAPTA: SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement
SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SATNAV: Satellite Navigation (Initiative)
SAVE: SAARC Audio Visual Exchange
SC: Security Council; Supreme Court; Scheduled Caste
SCI: Shipping Corporation of India
SCO: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
SCOPE: Standing Conference on Public Enterprises
SDO: Sub-Divisional Officer
SDR: Special Drawing Rights (created by the World Bank)
SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of India
SFC: Strategic Forces Command
SGPC: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
SIDBI: Small Industries Development Bank of India
SIT: Special Investigation Team
SITE: Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
SLR: Statutory Liquidity Ratio
SMS: Short Messaging Service; Subscriber Management System
SOS: Save Our Souls—distress signal
SPG: Special Protection Group
SPIN: Software Process Improvement Networks
SPV: Solar Photo Voltaic
SQUID: Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device
SRE: Space Capsule Recovery Experiment
SRV: Submarine Rescue Vessel
SSN: Social Security Number
STARS: Satellite Tracking and Ranging Station
START: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks
STEP: Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Park
STT: Securities Transaction Tax
SWAN: State-wide Area Network
SWIFT: Society for Worldwide Financial Telecommunications

QMG: Quarter Master General
QR: Quantitative Restriction
RAF: Rapid Action Force
RAM: Random Access Memory
RBI: Reserve Bank of India
RCC: Reinforced Concrete Cement
RDF: Rapid Development Force
RDS: Radio Data Servicing
RDSS: Radio Determination Satellite Service
REACH: Rehabilitate, Educate and Support Street Children
RLO: Returned Letter Office
RLV: Reusable Launch Vehicle
RPM: Revolution Per Minute
RPO: Recruitment Process Outsourcing; Regional Passport Officer
RRB: Regional Rural Bank
RRPI: Rural Retail Price Index
RSS: Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh
RSVP: Repondez s’il vous plait (Fr.) reply, if you please
RTGS: Real Time Gross Settlement System

PAC: Political Affairs Committee; Public Accounts Committee
PACER: Programme for Acceleration of Commercial Energy Research
PAN: Permanent Account Number (of Income-Tax)
PATA: Pacific-Asia Travel Association
PCS: Public Civil Service; Punjab Civil Service
PIB: Press Information Bureau
Pin Code: Postal Index Number Code
PIO: Persons of Indian Origin
PLF: Plant Load Factor
PM: Post Meridiem; after-noon; also Postmaster; Prime Minister; post-mortem (after death)
PMG: Postmaster General
PN: Participatory Note
PO: Post Office; Postal Order
POPs: Persistent Organic Pollutants; Point of Purchase
POTA: Prevention of Terrorism Act
POW: Prisoner of War
PP: Public Prosecutor; Particular Person
PRO: Public Relations Officer
PS: Post Scriptum; Post Script; written after
PSC: Public Service Commission
PSE: Public Sector Enterprises
PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
PTA: Preferential Trade Area
PTI: Press Trust of India
PTO: Please Turn Over; Privilege Ticket Order
PUFA: Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids
PVC: Param Vir Chakra
PVSM: Param Vishisht Sewa Medal
PWD: Public Works Department

O
OAS: Organisation of American States
OAU: Organisation of African Unity
OBC: Other Backward Communities
OBU: Offshore Banking Unit
ODA: Official Development Assistance
ODF: Open Document Format
ODS: Ozone Depletion Substances
OECD: Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development
OGL: Open General Licence
OIC: Organisation of Islamic Countries
OIGS: On India Government Service
OIL: Oil India Limited
OM: Order of Merit
ONGC: Oil and Natural Gas Commission
OPEC: Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OSCE: Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
OSD: Officer on Special Duty
OXML: Open Extended Marking Language

N
NAA: National Airport Authority
NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. (It helps rural development by providing re-finance facility).
NACIL: National Aviation Company of India Ltd
NADA: National Anti-Doping Agency
NAEP: National Adult Education Programme
NAFTA: North America Free Trade Agreement
NAG: National Air Guard
NAM: Non-aligned Movement
NAMA: Non-Agriculture Market Access
NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (of the U.S.A.)
NASDAQ: National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
NATA: Natural Aptitude Test for Architecture
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
NAV: Net Asset Value
NB: Nota bene; note well, or take notice
NCA: Nuclear Command Authority
NCC: National Cadet Corps
NCEP: National Committee on Environmental Planning
NCERT: National Council of Education Research and Training
NCR: National Capital Region
NDA: National Defence Academy; National Democratic Alliance
NDNC: National Do Not Call (Registry)
NDPS: Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances
NDRF: National Disaster Response Force
NDTL: National Dope Testing Laboratory
NeGP: National e-governance Plan
NEDB: North-Eastern Development Bank
NEP: National Education Policy
NEPA: National Environment Protection Authority
NFO: New Fund Offers
NHDP: National Highways Development Project
NHRC: National Human Rights Commission
NIC: National Integration Council
NIFT: National Institute of Fashion Technology
NIO: National Institute of Oceanography
NIS: National Institute of Sports
NIT: National Institute of Technology
NLMA: National Literacy Mission Authority
NMD: Nuclear Missile Defence
NMDC: National Mineral Development Corporation
NPL: National Physical Laboratory
NPR: National Population Register
NPT: (Nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty
NRBI: National Rural Bank of India
NREGA: National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
NREP: National Rural Employment Programme
NRF: National Renewal Fund
NRI: Non-Resident Indian
NRR: National Reproduction Rate
NRSA: National Remote Sensing Agency
NSA: National Security Act
NSC: National Service Corps; National Security Council
NSDL: National Securities Depository Limited
NSE: National Stock Exchange
NSR: National Skills Registry
NTPC: National Thermal Power Corporation
NWDA: National Water Development Agency
NWRC: National Water Resources Council

M
MAT: Minimum Alternative Tax
MER: Mars Exploration Rover
MBBS: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
MCF: Master Control Facility
MEP: Minimum Export Price
MES: Military Engineering Service
METSAT: Meteorological Satellite
MFA: Multi-Fibre Agreement
MFN: Most Favoured Nation
MIP: Moon Impact Probe
MMS: Multimedia Messaging Service
MMTC: Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation of India
MNC: Multi-national Corporation
MNIC: Multi-purpose National Identity Card
MODEM: Modulator-Demodulator
MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRTPC: Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission
MRTS: Mass Rapid Transit System
MSA: Maritime Safety Agency
MSCF: Maritime Security Cooperation Framework
Mss: Manuscript
MTCR: Missile Technology Control Regime
MTO: Multilateral Trade Organisation
MVC: Maha Vir Chakra
MUNO: Maha Vir Chakra

JCO: Junior Commissioned Officer

JTO:Junior Telecom Officer

JNNURM: Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
JPC: Joint Parliamentary Committee
JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group
JWG: Joint Working Group
KG: Kindergarten
Kg: Kilogramme
KPO: Knowledge Process Outsourcing
LAC: Line of Actual Control
LCA: Light Combat Aircraft
LDC: Least Developed Countries
LHC: Large Hadron Collider
LIC: Life Insurance Corporation (of India)
LLP: Limited Liability Partnership
LOAC: Line of Actual Control
LTA: Light Transport Aircraft
LTTE: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

IAAI: International Airport Authority of India
IAAS: Indian Audit and Accounts Service
IADF: International Agricultural Development Fund
IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency
IAF: Indian Air Force
IAMC: Indian Army Medical Corps
IAS: Indian Administrative Service
IATA: International Air Transport Association
IATT: Inland Air Travel Tax
IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
IBEX: Interstellar Boundary Explorer Mission
ICANN: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICAR: Indian Council of Agricultural Research
ICCR: Indian Council of Cultural Relations
ICCW: Indian Council for Child Welfare
ICDS: Integrated Child Development Service
ICJ: International Court of Justice (with Headquarters at the Hague)
ICL: Indian Cricket League
ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research
ICPA: Indian Cricket Players’ Association
ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross
IDA: International Development Association
IDBI: Industrial Development Bank of India
IDSA: Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis
i.e.: id est; that is
IEA: International Energy Agency
IES: Indian Economic Service
IEX: Indian Energy Exchange
IFRS: International Financial Reporting Standard
IFS: Indian Foreign Service; Indian Forest Service
IFTU: International Federation of Trade Unions
IFWJ: Indian Federation of Working Journalists
IGNOU: Indira Gandhi National Open University
IIPA: Indian Institute of Public Administration
IISS: International Institute of Strategic Studies
IIT: Indian Institutes of Technology
ILO: International Labour Organisation
IMA: Indian Military Academy
IMET: International Military Education Training Programme
IMF: International Monetary Fund
IMO: International Maritime Organisation
IN: Indian Navy; Intelligent Network
INA: Indian National Army
INK: International Newspaper Kiosks
INMARSAT: International Maritime Satellite Organisation
INMAS: Institute of Nuclear Medicines and Allied Sciences
INS: Indian Naval Ship; Indian Newspaper Society
INSAS: Indian Small Arms System
INSAT: Indian National Satellite
INTERPOL: International Police Organisation
INTUC: Indian National Trade Union Congress
IOC: International Olympic Committee
IP: Indian Police
IPC: Indian Penal Code
IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPEC: International Programme on Elimination of Child Labour
IPR: Intellectual Property Right
IPS: Indian Police Service; Indian Postal Service
IPTV: Internet Protocol Television
IPU: Inter-Parliamentary Union
IQ: Intelligence Quotient
IR: Infra-red
IRA: Insurance Regulatory Authority
IRBM: Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
IREP: Integrated Rural Energy Planning
IRS: Indian Remote Sensing Satellite; Indian Revenue Service
ISAF: International Stabilization and Assistance Force (in Afghanistan)
ISC: Inter-State Council
ISCS: Integrated Smart Card System
ISD: International Subscriber Dialled (telephone)
ISH: Information Super Highway
ISKCON: International Society for Krishna Consciousness
ISO: International Standardisation Organisation
ISP: Internet Service Provider
ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation
ISS: International Space Station
IST: Indian Standard Time
ISTRAC: ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network
ITDC: Indian Tourism Development Corporation
ITO: International Trade Organisation; Income-tax Officer
ITU: International Tele-communication Union
IUC: Interconnect User Charge

HAWS: High Altitude Warfare School
HCF: Highest Common Factor
HDI: Human Development Index
HDTV: High Definition Television
HE: His (or Her) Excellency; His (or Her) Eminence; High Explosive; Horizontal Equivalent
HITS: Headend In The Sky
HMMWV: High Mobility Multipurpose-Wheeled Vehicle
HMS: Hybrid Mail Service
HP: Himachal Pradesh; Horizontal Plane; Horse Power
HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language
HTTP: Hypetext Transfer Protocol
HUDCO: Housing and Urban Development Corporation
HVDC: High Voltage Direct Current

GAGAN: GPS-aided Geo-augmented Navigation
GAIL: Gas Authority of India Limited
GAIN: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
GATS: General Agreement on Trade in Services
GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GCA: General Currency Area
GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council
GCM: Greatest Common Measure
GEF: Global Environment Fund
GHQ: General Headquarters
GIC: General Insurance Corporation
GIST: Graphics and Intelligence-based Script Technology
GMPS: Global Mobile Personal Communications System
GMRT: Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope
GMT: Greenwich Mean Time
GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System
GNP: Gross National Product
GOC: General Officer Commanding
GPO: General Post Office
GPRS: General Packet Radio System
GPS: Global Positioning System
GSLV: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
GSP: Generalised Special Preferences
GST: Goods and Service Tax
GSTP: Global System of Trade Preferences