The following table provides abbreviation guidance for common technical measurements. Terms are listed alphabetically by expanded form.
Expanded form | Abbreviation | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
baud | Do not abbreviate. | ||
bits per pixel | bpp | ||
bits per second | bps | Do not use bits per second or bps as a synonym for baud. | |
centimeters | cm | ||
days | Do not abbreviate. | ||
degrees | ° deg | Temperature only. Angle only. | |
dialog unit | DLU | ||
dots per inch | dpi | ||
exabytes | EB | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. | |
feet | ft | ||
gigabits | Do not abbreviate. | ||
gigabits per second | Gbps | Spell out as gigabits, not Gb, per second. | |
gigabytes | GB | Don’t use G, G byte, or GByte. Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See GB. | |
gigahertz | GHz | Note capitalization of GHz. Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See GHz. | |
grams | g | ||
Hertz | Hz | Capitalize both the abbreviation and the word. | |
hours | hr | ||
inches | in. (or " (inch sign) if space is limited.) | Always include period with in. to avoid confusion with the preposition in. | |
kilobits | Do not abbreviate. | Do not use the abbreviation Kbits | |
kilobits per second | Kbps | ||
kilobytes | KB | Don’t use K, K byte, or KByte. All right to use abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. Otherwise, spell out. See KB. | |
kilobits per second | Kbps | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See KBps, Kbps. | |
kilobytes per second | KBps | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See KBps, Kbps. | |
kilograms | kg | ||
kilohertz | kHz | Note capitalization of kHz. Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See kHz. | |
kilometers | km | ||
megabits | Do not abbreviate. | ||
megabits per second | Mbps | Spell out as megabits, not Mb, per second. | |
megabytes | MB | Don’t use M, meg, M byte, or MByte. All right to use abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. Otherwise, spell out. See MB. | |
megabytes per second | MBps | ||
megahertz | MHz | Note capitalization of MHz. Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See MHz. | |
meters | m | ||
microseconds | Do not abbreviate. | ||
miles | mi | ||
millimeters | mm | ||
milliseconds | msec (or ms) | ||
minutes | mins | ||
months | Do not abbreviate. | ||
nanoseconds | Do not abbreviate. | ||
ounces | oz | ||
petabytes | PB | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. | |
picas | pi | ||
pixels | Do not abbreviate. | ||
points | pt | ||
points per inch | ppi | ||
pounds | lbs | ||
seconds | sec (or s) | ||
terabytes | TB | Don’t use T byte or TByte. Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. See TB. | |
weeks | Do not abbreviate. | ||
years | Do not abbreviate. | ||
yottabytes | YB | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. | |
zettabytes | ZB | Spell out on first mention. On subsequent mention, all right to use the abbreviation as a measurement with numerals. |