Mostly used list of Abbreviations in Electrical Engineering .Are you an electrical engineering student, professional, or enthusiast? Then you must have encountered various abbreviations and acronyms in the field of electrical engineering. Understanding these list of Abbreviations in Electrical Engineering is mandatory in communicating and working in the industry.
Electrical engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with the study of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. This field is full of technical terms and abbreviations that can be overwhelming for those who are not familiar with them.
In this post, we have compiled a list of mostly used list of abbreviations in electrical engineering that will help you to communicate and understand better in the field.
Mostly used list of Abbreviations in Electrical Engineering
If you’re an electrical engineer or just interested in the field, you know that electrical engineering is full of technical terms and list of Abbreviations in Electrical Engineering that can be confusing for those who are not familiar with them.
In this post, we have compiled a list of mostly used abbreviations in electrical engineering that will help you to communicate and understand better in the field.
AC – Alternating Current
DC – Direct Current
RMS – Root Mean Square
FPGA – Field-Programmable Gate Array
DSP – Digital Signal Processing
PFC – Power Factor Correction
EMI – Electromagnetic Interference
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
MOSFET – Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
PID – Proportional Integral Derivative
FPGA – Field-Programmable Gate Array
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
IGBT – Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
VLSI – Very Large Scale Integration
HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current
FPGA – Field Programmable Gate Array
MEMS – Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
I/O – Input/Output
ESD – Electrostatic Discharge
FPGA – Field-Programmable Gate Array
CT – Current Transformer
PT – Potential Transformer
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
SNR – Signal-to-Noise Ratio
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
ADC – Analog-to-Digital Converter
DAC – Digital-to-Analog Converter
FPGA – Field-Programmable Gate Array
LVDT – Linear Variable Differential Transformer
ACB – Air Circuit Breaker
MCCB – Molded Case Circuit Breaker
MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker
RCBO – Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent Protection
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
EER: Energy Efficiency Ratio
EMS: Energy Management System
FET: Field-Effect Transistor
FMEA: Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
GFCI: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
HMI: Human-Machine Interface
IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission
IP: Ingress Protection
ISO: International Organization for Standardization
LCR: Inductance-Capacitance-Resistance
LV: Low Voltage
MCB: Miniature Circuit Breaker
NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association
PIR: Passive Infrared
PLC: Programmable Logic Controller
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation
RFID: Radio-Frequency Identification
RTD: Resistance Temperature Detector
SCR: Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
SPD: Surge Protective Device
SWG: Standard Wire Gauge
TCR: Temperature Coefficient of Resistance
TDR: Time Domain Reflectometer
THD: Total Harmonic Distortion
TRS: Tip-Ring-Sleeve
VAR: Volt-Ampere Reactive
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
VSWR: Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
WDG: Winding Temperature Detector
ADC: Analog-to-Digital Converter
AGC: Automatic Gain Control
Amp: Amplifier
AWG: American Wire Gauge
CMRR: Common Mode Rejection Ratio
FET: Field Effect Transistor
FFT: Fast Fourier Transform
GFCI: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
I/O: Input/Output
KVA: Kilovolt-Ampere
PTC: Positive Temperature Coefficient
SSR: Solid State Relay
SWR: Standing Wave Ratio
TDR: Time Domain Reflectometer
THD: Total Harmonic Distortion
TR: Transformer
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
VOM: Volt-Ohm-Meter
ADC: Analog-to-Digital Converter
AWG: American Wire Gauge
CAD: Computer-Aided Design
CRO: Cathode Ray Oscilloscope
DC: Direct Current
DMM: Digital Multimeter
FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array
H-bridge: A type of electronic circuit used to control the direction of a motor
IR: Infrared
LED: Light Emitting Diode
LVDT: Linear Variable Differential Transformer
MMIC: Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit
MOS: Metal Oxide Semiconductor
MPPT: Maximum Power Point Tracking
PLL: Phase Locked Loop
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation
RFID: Radio Frequency Identification
RF: Radio Frequency
RTD: Resistance Temperature Detector
SMT: Surface Mount Technology
SPI: Serial Peripheral Interface
SRAM: Static Random Access Memory
SSD: Solid State Drive
TEC: Thermoelectric Cooler
UART: Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
USB: Universal Serial Bus
VCO: Voltage Controlled Oscillator
VGA: Video Graphics Array
VHDL: VHSIC Hardware Description Language
VLSI: Very Large Scale Integration
VR: Voltage Regulator
Zener: Zener Diode
ZigBee: A type of wireless communication protocol.
AC/DC – Alternating Current/Direct Current
kV – Kilovolt
mA – Milliampere
MVA – Megavolt-Ampere
kVA – Kilovolt-Ampere
kW – Kilowatt
MW – Megawatt
F – Farad
Hz – Hertz
N – Newton
V – Volt
VA – Volt-Ampere
PF – Power Factor
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
PCB – Polychlorinated Biphenyl
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
IGBT – Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
MOSFET – Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
TRIAC – Triode for Alternating Current
MCU – Microcontroller Unit
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
PID – Proportional Integral Derivative
CTI – Comparative Tracking Index
RTD – Resistance Temperature Detector
TC – Thermocouple
OLED – Organic Light Emitting Diode
MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker
RCCB – Residual Current Circuit Breaker
MCCB – Moulded Case Circuit Breaker
ELCB – Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment
ESD – Electrostatic Discharge
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility.
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
VAR – Volt-Ampere Reactive
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
PCC – Power Control Center
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
EMI – Electromagnetic Interference
EHV – Extra High Voltage
DSO – Digital Storage Oscilloscope
CT – Current Transformer
CB – Circuit Breaker
AVR – Automatic Voltage Regulator
CTPT – Combined Current and Potential Transformer
COP – Coefficient of Performance
BIL – Basic Insulation Level
ARC – Audio Return Channel
APFC – Automatic Power Factor Correction
AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure
AI – Artificial Intelligence
ZS – Zero Sequence
YD – Y-Δ Transformations
VSWR – Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
UHV – Ultra High Voltage
TRV – Transient Recovery Voltage
T&D – Transmission and Distribution
SLD – Single Line Diagram
RCCB – Residual Current Circuit Breaker
PFC – Power Factor Correction
HRC – High Rupturing Capacity
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
ELCB – Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
DOL – Direct On-Line
DIN – Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardization)
CSD – Current Source Drive
CPT – Capacitive Potential Transformer
BIL – Basic Impulse Level
AVR – Automatic Voltage Regulation
APFC – Automatic Power Factor Correction
ACB – Air Circuit Breaker
ABT – Availability Based Tariff
EMF – Electromotive Force
RLC – Resistor-Inductor-Capacitor
SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
IGBT – Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
DMM – Digital Multimeter
LCR – Inductance-Capacitance-Resistance
NEMA – National Electrical Manufacturers Association
FET – Field-Effect Transistor
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker
MCCB – Molded Case Circuit Breaker
ESD – Electrostatic Discharge
EMI – Electromagnetic Interference
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
DFT – Discrete Fourier Transform
FFT – Fast Fourier Transform
AGC – Automatic Gain Control
ATC – Automatic Temperature Compensation
DSO – Digital Storage Oscilloscope
PID – Proportional Integral Derivative
NTC – Negative Temperature Coefficient
PTC – Positive Temperature Coefficient
SPDT – Single Pole Double Throw
DPDT – Double Pole Double Throw
VSWR – Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
LNA – Low-Noise Amplifier
SMA – SubMiniature version A
MOSFET – Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
TTL – Transistor-Transistor Logic
LVDT – Linear Variable Differential Transformer
RTD – Resistance Temperature Detector
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
EER – Energy Efficiency Ratio
VRMS – Voltage Root Mean Square
ARMS – Amperes Root Mean Square
IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission
PT: Potential Transformer
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
GFCI: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
SPD: Surge Protective Device
AFCI: Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation
PID: Proportional Integral Derivative
DSP: Digital Signal Processing
FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array
CPLD: Complex Programmable Logic Device
ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit
MEMS: Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
SAR: Successive Approximation Register
Op-Amp: Operational Amplifier
BJT: Bipolar Junction Transistor
FET: Field Effect Transistor
TRIAC: Triode for Alternating Current
AWG: American Wire Gauge
VSWR: Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
Q-factor: Quality Factor
THD: Total Harmonic Distortion
LC: Inductor-Capacitor
LCR: Inductor-Capacitor-Resistor
HVDC: High Voltage Direct Current
HVAC: High Voltage Alternating Current
LVDT: Linear Variable Differential Transformer
RTD: Resistance Temperature Detector
TC: Thermocouple
ESD: Electrostatic Discharge
TOF: Time of Flight.
NEMA – National Electrical Manufacturers Association
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission
HV – High Voltage
LV – Low Voltage
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
MOSFET – Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
Diode – Semiconductor Diode
Transistor – Bipolar Junction Transistor
Op-Amp – Operational Amplifier
ADC – Analog to Digital Converter
DAC – Digital to Analog Converter
ESD – Electrostatic Discharge
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
RMS – Root Mean Square
PFC – Power Factor Correction
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
SMPS – Switch Mode Power Supply
SNR – Signal to Noise Ratio
FFT – Fast Fourier Transform
FIR – Finite Impulse Response
IIR – Infinite Impulse Response
CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
PLL: Phase-Locked Loop
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
UPS: Uninterruptible Power Supply
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
RFI: Radio Frequency Interference
IC: Integrated Circuit
ASIC: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array
DSP: Digital Signal Processor
MCU: Microcontroller Unit
EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EPROM: Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
SRAM: Static Random-Access Memory
DRAM: Dynamic Random-Access Memory
ROM: Read-Only Memory
RAM: Random-Access Memory
USB: Universal Serial Bus
SATA: Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
PCIe: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface
RF: Radio Frequency
GHz: Gigahertz
MHz: Megahertz
kV: Kilovolt
mA: Milliampere
Ohm: Ω (Unit of electrical resistance)
V: Volt
A: Ampere
F: Farad
H: Henry
dB: Decibel
W: Watt
VA: Volt-Ampere.
PFC: Power Factor Correction
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
SVC: Static Var Compensator
LDR: Light Dependent Resistor
MCB: Miniature Circuit Breaker
RCCB: Residual Current Circuit Breaker
RCBO: Residual Current Breaker with Overload Protection
MCCB: Molded Case Circuit Breaker
SPD: Surge Protection Device
NGR: Neutral Grounding Resistor
CTPT: Combined Current and Potential Transformer
VAR: Volt-Amp Reactive
OCP: Overcurrent Protection
OVP: Overvoltage Protection
ELCB: Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
IPM: Intelligent Power Module
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
HVDC: High Voltage Direct Current
LVDT: Linear Variable Differential Transformer
PID: Proportional-Integral-Derivative
CEMF: Counter Electromotive Force
IM: Induction Motor
PMSM: Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
BLDC: Brushless DC Motor
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
MEMS: Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array
DAC: Digital-to-Analog Converter
DSP: Digital Signal Processor
FIR: Finite Impulse Response
IIR: Infinite Impulse Response
FFT: Fast Fourier Transform
DFT: Discrete Fourier Transform
MOSFET: Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
LVDT: Linear Variable Differential Transformer
PTC: Positive Temperature Coefficient
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment
CMRR – Common Mode Rejection Ratio
EMI – Electromagnetic Interference
BJT – Bipolar Junction Transistor
FET – Field Effect Transistor
MOSFET – Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
TRIAC – Triode for Alternating Current
MCU – Microcontroller Unit
FPGA – Field Programmable Gate Array
DSP – Digital Signal Processor
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
PFC – Power Factor Correction
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current
MV – Medium Voltage
LV – Low Voltage
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
SPDT – Single Pole Double Throw
DPDT – Double Pole Double Throw
PT – Potential Transformer
CT – Current Transformer
PFC – Power Factor Correction
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
VA – Volt-Ampere
kVA – kiloVolt-Ampere
MW – Megawatt
VAR – Volt-Ampere Reactive
kVAR – kiloVolt-Ampere Reactive
MVAR – Megavolt-Ampere Reactive
LRA – Locked Rotor Amperes
FLC – Full Load Current
MCCB – Molded Case Circuit Breaker
MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker
RCCB – Residual Current Circuit Breaker
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
HMI – Human Machine Interface
DCS – Distributed Control System
SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
PFC – Power Factor Correction
MOSFET – Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
D/A – Digital to Analog
A/D – Analog to Digital
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply
EMI – Electromagnetic Interference
EMC – Electromagnetic Compatibility
THD – Total Harmonic Distortion
HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current
SVC – Static Var Compensator
SPC – Series Parallel Converter
CCM – Continuous Conduction Mode
DCM – Discontinuous Conduction Mode
ZVS – Zero Voltage Switching
ZCS – Zero Current Switching
FET – Field Effect Transistor
BJT – Bipolar Junction Transistor
SMPS – Switched Mode Power Supply
VFD – Variable Frequency Drive
VSI – Voltage Source Inverter
CSI – Current Source Inverter
MMC – Modular Multilevel Converter
H-bridge – Half Bridge
HVD – High Voltage Divider
LVD – Low Voltage Disconnect
I-V – Current-Voltage
VCE – Collector-Emitter Voltage
VEB – Emitter-Base Voltage
VCB – Collector-Base Voltage
IC – Integrated Circuit
PCB – Printed Circuit Board
GaN – Gallium Nitride
SiC – Silicon Carbide
FOC – Field-Oriented Control
DQ – Clarke Transformation
SV – Space Vector
CV – Constant Voltage
PTH – Plated Through Hole
SMD – Surface Mount Device
HEMT – High Electron Mobility Transistor
PCD – Printed Circuit Design
PTH – Plated Through Hole
SCR: Silicon Controlled Rectifier
GTO: Gate Turn-Off Thyristor
MCT: MOS-Controlled Thyristor
PWM: Pulse-Width Modulation
VFD: Variable Frequency Drive
DC: Direct Current
AC: Alternating Current
AC/DC: Alternating Current/Direct Current
SMPS: Switch-Mode Power Supply
PFC: Power Factor Correction
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
HVDC: High Voltage Direct Current
LDO: Low Drop-Out Voltage Regulator
SEPIC: Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter
ZVS: Zero Voltage Switching
ZCS: Zero Current Switching
APFC: Active Power Factor Correction
DPF: Digital Power Factor Correction
PFC: Power Factor Controller
ESD: Electrostatic Discharge
DSP: Digital Signal Processor
FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array
ASIC: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
PDP: Plasma Display Panel
OLED: Organic Light-Emitting Diode
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
VCO: Voltage-Controlled Oscillator
PLL: Phase-Locked Loop
DLL: Delay-Locked Loop
ADC: Analog-to-Digital Converter
DAC: Digital-to-Analog Converter
OPAMP: Operational Amplifier
BJT: Bipolar Junction Transistor
JFET: Junction Field-Effect Transistor
SMD: Surface-Mount Device
DIP: Dual In-line Package
SOIC: Small Outline Integrated Circuit
TO-220: Transistor Outline – 220
TO-247: Transistor Outline – 247
SOT: Small Outline Transistor
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
NTC: Negative Temperature Coefficient
PTC: Positive Temperature Coefficient
SMT: Surface-Mount Technology
EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility
RPM – Revolutions Per Minute
HP – Horsepower
kW – Kilowatt
VA – Volt-Ampere
CCA – Cold Cranking Amps
SOC – State of Charge
SOH – State of Health
NMC – Nickel Manganese Cobalt
LFP – Lithium Iron Phosphate
SLA – Sealed Lead Acid
AGM – Absorbent Glass Mat
VRLA – Valve Regulated Lead Acid
NiMH – Nickel Metal Hydride
LiFePO4 – Lithium Iron Phosphate
SC: Short-circuit
NR: No-load resistance
ICC: Internal circuit current
BEMF: Back electromotive force
VAC: Volts Alternating Current
VDC: Volts Direct Current
FMM: Field magnetomotive force
FLD: Field
ARM: Armature
A: Amperes
Ohm: Unit of Resistance
P: Power
V: Voltage
N: Speed of rotation
LRA: Locked rotor amperes
RLA: Rated load amperes
ODP: Open drip-proof
TEFC: Totally enclosed fan cooled
WYE: Star connection
DELTA: Delta connection
SRBP: Synthetic resin-bonded paper
DPDT: Double pole double throw
SPDT: Single pole double throw
THD: Total harmonic distortion
MCQ: Multiple choice question
G: Conductance
R: Resistance
C: Capacitance
L: Inductance
S: Apparent power
P: True power
Q: Reactive power
PF: Power factor
ESR: Equivalent series resistance
DCR: DC resistance
C-Rate: Charge or discharge rate
BMS: Battery management system
SOC: State of charge
SOH: State of health
CCA: Cold cranking amperes
AH: Ampere-hour
VRLA: Valve regulated lead acid
NiCd: Nickel-cadmium
NiMH: Nickel-metal hydride
Li-ion: Lithium-ion
SLA: Sealed lead acid
AGM: Absorbent glass mat
PMDC – Permanent Magnet DC
SE – Separately Excited
CEMF – Counter Electromotive Force
DFL – Demagnetizing Field
PIV – Peak Inverse Voltage
FHP – Fractional Horsepower
DOL – Direct-On-Line
VR – Voltage Regulator
SR – Shunt Regulator
IR – Series Regulator
PWM – Pulse-Width Modulation
SSSC – Static Synchronous Series Compensator
SVC – Static Var Compensator
VRLA – Valve Regulated Lead Acid
LA – Lead Acid
NiCd – Nickel Cadmium
NiMH – Nickel Metal Hydride
Li-ion – Lithium Ion
Li-poly – Lithium Polymer
SOC – State Of Charge
SOH – State Of Health
DOD – Depth Of Discharge
CC – Constant Current
CV – Constant Voltage
CC-CV – Constant Current – Constant Voltage
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
MPPT – Maximum Power Point Tracking
BMS – Battery Management System
ESR – Equivalent Series Resistance
C-Rate – Charging/Discharging Rate
kWh – Kilowatt Hour
PE – Potential Energy
KE – Kinetic Energy
BE – Battery Energy
FOC – Field Oriented Control
RLC – Resistance-Inductance-Capacitance
B-H Curve – Magnetization Curve
D-A Converter – Digital-to-Analog Converter
A-D Converter – Analog-to-Digital Converter
I-V Curve – Current-Voltage Curve
OCV – Open Circuit Voltage
DOD – Depth of Discharge
DoE – Design of Experiments
DoD – Department of Defense
What is the full form of NL in electrical?
T he full form of NL is L (Live) and N (Neutral).There are two different name, L (Live) and N (Neutral) on the AC input terminal.
What is the full form of TB in electrical?
 The full form of TB is Tandem Circuit Breaker
What is the full form of PDB LDB?
 The full form of PDB is (power distribution board) and LDB (lighting distribution board).
What is MSB in electrical?
LV MSB (Low Voltage Main Switchboard)
What is the full form of PCC panel?
The full form of PCC is Power control center (PCC Panel)
What is the full form of mobile?
The meaning or full form of MOBILE is “Modified, Operation, Byte, Integration, Limited, Energy”.
What are the most used abbreviations in electrical engineering?
The most commonly used abbreviations in electrical engineering are AC, DC, ADC, DAC, AVR, CT, CB, PCB, EMI, EMC, FET, MOSFET, LED, LCD, PWM, RAM, ROM, RFID, UPS, and VFD.
Why is it important to know abbreviations in electrical engineering?
It is important to know abbreviations in electrical engineering because it helps in better communication and understanding between professionals. Also, it saves time and effort by avoiding long and repetitive terms.
What is the difference between ADC and DAC?
ADC stands for Analog to Digital Converter, which converts analog signals to digital signals, while DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter, which converts digital signals to analog signals.
What is the purpose of an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR)?
An Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) is a device used to regulate and stabilize the voltage output of a power generator.