What Does Suite Mean?
According to Dictionary.com, the word suite can be defined as the following:
“Suite [ sweet ]
noun
- a number of things forming a series or set.
- a connected series of rooms to be used together.
- a set of furniture, especially a set comprising the basic furniture necessary for one room.
- a company of followers or attendants; a train or retinue.
- Music.
a. an ordered series of instrumental dances, in the same or related keys, commonly preceded by a prelude.
b. an ordered series of instrumental movements of any character.
- Computers. a group of software programs sold as a unit and usually designed to work together.”

Synonyms for Suite
- apartment
- collection
- lodging
- rental
- array
- batch
- body
- chambers
- flat
- group
- lot
- parcel
- series
- set
- tenement
The History of the Word
The English word suite in its modern form originated in the 1670’s. The French word suite, which means “a train of followers or attendants,” is derived from the Old French sieute, which referred to the “act of following or being in attendance.”
By the 1680’s the English word had evolved to mean a set of instrumental songs or compositions. In 1716, the word was first used to describe a connected set of rooms. Suite, as in a “set of furniture,” originated in 1805. That definition was imported from French usage, based on the French suit, meaning “a number of objects taken collectively and creating a sequence with them; a collection.”
When to Use The Abbreviation
For postal addresses in the United States, STE should be used. For any other variance of suite, one should use Ste. as the abbreviation. This abbreviation can be capitalized or kept lowercase, depending on its position in a sentence.
Don’t abbreviate the word suite in common prose. For the most part, this abbreviation should be used for postal addresses and other areas where brevity is needed and words are shortened, such as note-taking and music theory.
One can also choose to exclude the period at the end of the abbreviation, but in most contexts, the period may be included to indicate an abbreviation. It is not grammatically correct to use this abbreviation in academic or formal documents, but it can be used in business proposals, newspaper headlines, or titles.
Examples of the Word and Abbreviation in Context
- My USPS address is: Em Johnson / 1234 Main St., STE 5 / Phoenix, AZ 85010.
- Please book a suite of hotel rooms for the guests.
- “Hey Marge, can you Google the nearest post office?” asked Matthew. “The mailroom suite in my office building is already closed for the holidays!”
- I’d like to rent an office suite in the new highrise building.
- The suites that lined the walkway of this mall were empty, closed, and hauntingly dark.
- What’s the suite number for your reservation?
- Ste. of Offices Robbed by Gunman | Office workers in a suite of offices near Flagler Highway did not expect an intruder on Friday.
- I loved my little suite in the Bronx. It was humble and small, but it worked well for just me and my cat.
Additional United States Postal Service (USPS) Landmark and Street Name Abbreviations
ALY Alley
ANX Annex
BCH Beach
BLDG Building
BND Bend
BRG Burg
BRK Brook
BYP Bypass
BLF Bluff
BTM Bottom
CLB Club
CMN Common
CRES Crescent
CRK Creek
CRSE Course
CRST Crest
CSWY Causeway
CTR Center
EXPY Expressway
FLD Field
FLT Flat
FRD Ford
FRG Forge
FRK Fork
FWY Freeway
GDN Garden
GLN Glen
GRN Green
GRV Grove
GTWY Gateway
HBR Harbor
HOLW Hollow
HVN Haven
HWY Highway
INLT Inlet
JCT Junction
KNL Knoll
LCK Lock
LDG Lodge
LGT Light
LNDG Landing
MDW Meadow
MNR Manor
MSN Mission
MTN Mountain
NCK Neck
ORCH Orchard
PLN Plain
PLZ Plaza
PKWY Parkway
PRT Port
RADL Radial
RDG Ridge
RIV River
RNCH Ranch
RPD Rapid
RTE Route
SHLS Shoals
SHR Shore
SMT Summit
SPG Spring
STRM Stream
SQ Square
TRCE Trace
TRL Trail
TPKE Turnpike
TUNL Tunnel
VLG Village
VLY Valley
VW View
WLS Wells
XING Crossing
Sources:
- https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-abbreviate-the-word-suite
- https://www.dictionary.com/browse/suite?s=t
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/suite#etymonline_v_22326
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.