What do BTW, FAQ, FYI, IMHO, RTFM, and other acronyms mean? (2024)

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These are all abbreviations for specific phrases commonly used ininformal written computer correspondence, online forums and boards,and online gaming. Following are some common acronyms and theirmeanings:

AFAIC As far as I'm concerned
AFAIK As far as I know
AFK Away from keyboard
BRB Be right back
BTDT Been there, done that
BTW By the way
BUAG Butt-ugly ASCII graphic
C/C Comments and criticism
EOM End of message
FAQ

Frequently Asked Question(s). When people say "the FAQ", they are generally referring to a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

FTFY

Fixed that for you; often accompanied by a correction

FTW For the win
FWIW For what it's worth
FYI For your information
HTH Hope this helps
IANAL I am not a lawyer
IIRC If I recall correctly
IMHO In my humble opinion
IMNSHO In my not so humble opinion
IMO In my opinion
IOW In other words
l33t or 1337

From "elite". This has become a term used to describe the informal communication of Internet gaming. L33t speak is easily identified by the substitution of number and other characters for regular letters; e.g., hackers becomes h4XX0rz.

LFG

Looking for group, usually used in MMORPGs

LMAO Laughing my butt off
LMGTFYLet me Google that for you
LOL Laughing out loud
MMORPG

Massive multiplayer online role-playing game (e.g., World of Warcraft or Star Wars Galaxies); sometimes shortened to MMO

MOTAS Member of the appropriate sex
MOTOS Member of the opposite sex
MOTSS Member of the same sex
NG Newsgroup
n00b

From "newbie", meaning a newcomer not yet familiar with the rules

NT

No text; usually in the subject line of a message with no body

OMG Oh my God
OTOH On the other hand
PWN

Usage of the term "own", as in "I PWNed you!"

QQ

Cry more, noob (representation of eyes crying, often found in MMORPGs)

RL

Real life, as opposed to the Internet

ROFL Rolling on the floor laughing
ROFLMAO

Rolling on the floor laughing my butt off

RTFM

Read the fine manual. This may be interpreted as: "You have asked a question which would best be answered by consulting the manual (or FAQ, or other help files), a copy of which should be in your possession. The question you have asked is clearly answered in the manual and you are wasting time asking people to read it to you." It's good netiquette to mail this type of answer to another user rather than post it in public messages.

SO

Significant other; used to refer to someone's romantic partner

TBH To be honest
TLA Three letter acronym
TTFN Ta ta for now
TTYL Talk to you later
W/E Whatever
w00t An expression of joy
WFN Wrong forum, noob
WTF What the heck
WYSIWYG

ARCHIVED: What you see is what you get, pronounced as "wizzywig".

YMMH You might mean here
YMMV Your mileage may vary
{g} Grin
{BG} Big grin

This is document adkc in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2023-09-22 17:53:42.

What do BTW, FAQ, FYI, IMHO, RTFM, and other acronyms mean? (2024)

FAQs

What does IMHO stand for in texting? ›

This little acronym, IMHO, stands for in my humble opinion. It's often used as a typing shortcut in online communication.

What does FAQ stand for in texting? ›

End of message. FAQ. Frequently Asked Question(s). When people say "the FAQ", they are generally referring to a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions. FTFY.

What does btw stand for in texting? ›

abbreviation for

by the way: used esp in e-mails, text messages, etc.

What is the meaning of btw? ›

Meaning of btw in English

written abbreviation for by the way: used, for example in emails, when you are writing something that relates to the subject you are discussing, but is not the main point of the discussion: I hope you enjoyed your holiday in Florida - btw, can you recommend a good hotel?

What is the meaning of RTFM? ›

abbreviation for

read the f*cking manual (a euphemistic acronym used sarcastically in response to, or in reference to, someone asking for technical help): He won't RTFM and then complains that he can't get through to tech support.

What does FTW mean? ›

FTW is an abbreviation of the phrase for the win. For the win is a slang expression that enthusiastically conveys something is excellent or will succeed—it's awesome, the greatest, the best ever.

What does rtf mean? ›

Rich Text Format (RTF) is a file Format that lets you exchange text files between different word processors in different operating systems (OSes). For example, you can create a file in Microsoft Word and then open it in another word processor, such as Apple Pages or Google Docs.

What does fyi stand for? ›

In both chat acronyms and in IT acronyms, FYI is the abbreviation for "for your information."

What does >>> mean in chat? ›

It's often used to express an opinion about a situation or habit, like “skipping class to study>>>” or “iced coffee>>>”, which could mean “I like skipping class to study” or “I like iced coffee”. Theoretically, you could also use <<< to mean the opposite, something that you don't like, but I haven't actually seen that.

What does WWWW mean in a text? ›

The use of wwww to represent laughing comes from the Japanese wara (笑), “to laugh.” With the rise of text-messaging and the internet in the 1990s–2000s, Japanese users adapted the kanji 笑 to denote laughter, similar to LOL.

What does Rizz actually mean? ›

What does it mean? Rizz is short for “charisma,” and it simply means an ability to charm and woo a person. It's pronounced, well, rizz, just like it's spelled. The term found its way into teen slang through TikTok and other social media.

What does OTP mean in texting? ›

"OTP" means "one true pair/pairing," according to Merriam-Webster. The term comes from "shipping" within fandom culture.

What does imho mean? ›

written abbreviation for in my humble opinion: used when you tell someone your opinion, for example in an email.

What does TLDR stand for? ›

abbreviation for too long; didn't read: used to comment on something that someone has written, for example on social media: If a commenter responds to a post with "tl;dr," it expresses an expectation to be entertained without needing to pay attention or to think. I haven't been able to keep up with this thread (TLDR).

What does mk mean? ›

Basically, "mk" is just another way to say "ok," so you can pretty much use them interchangeably. Just keep in mind that "mk" can come off as sarcastic, so be sure to include some clear context to avoid any accidental text arguments.

Does imho mean in my honest opinion? ›

IMHO Meaning IMHO stands for In My Humble Opinion or In My Honest Opinion. IMHO is an internet slang initialism that clarifies that the speaker is stating an opinion rather than a fact.

Is Imho passive aggressive? ›

Examples and Usage of IMHO

However, it can also be passive-aggressive and convey a similar meaning to “I'm just saying.” You can place IMHO at the beginning, end or in the middle of a sentence. Some ways you can use IMHO in context include: IMHO, I don't think you should do that.

What does "imo" mean in texting? ›

IMO refers to "in my opinion", an internet slang initialism, often in use to express writer's opinion.

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