<P> An acronym is a word or name formed as an abbreviation from the initial components in a phrase or a word, usually individual letters (as in NATO or laser) and sometimes syllables (as in Benelux). </P> <P> There are no universal standards of the multiple names for such abbreviations and of their orthographic styling . In English and most other languages, such abbreviations historically had limited use, but they became much more common in the 20th century . Acronyms are a type of word formation process, and they are viewed as a subtype of blending . </P>

Words made from the first letters of other words