Kevin
July 31, 2021
Common Questions
Do you know the definition of FYI? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the abbreviation FYI, including its definition, usage, and more!
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According to Grammarly as well as dictionaries like Collins English Dictionary and American Heritage, The acronym FYI stands for “for your information.” This is a common abbreviation. FYI is used in e-mail, instant messaging, a memo, on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter by internet users, as well as in text messages or an informational message. This acronym is usually used to denote a subset of the request in an answer. Someone will usually present a central repository of information as an answer to an operational question or given topic, but can then say FYI followed by another comment to give additional information on the subject at hand. This is normally somewhat related to the message subject but may not directly relate to the question at hand. FYIs topics can span many different things, but this term is largely considered casual.
According to Find Words, the abbreviation FYI has been used since at least 1941. One of the earliest known uses is in 1959 on an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled One for the Angels. This notable early usage popularized the term.
According to The Free Dictionary, the abbreviation FYI I can stand for much more than just for your information. This abbreviation also has many other alternate definitions. However, these are less common and should be used sparingly. If you do decide to use one of these alternate definitions, ensure that you provide the listener or reader with the proper context so that they can infer your intended meaning. This should be standard practice with any acronyms you use that have more than one possible definition.
Additionally, according to Dictionary University, FYI was an informational TV series that premiered on the ABC Network in the early 1980s. This was hosted by Hal Linden, star of Barney Miller, and the information series program features answers to questions that were submitted by viewers. FYI was also a Southeast Asian television channel excluding Malaysia that was dedicated to lifestyle. This channel was a joint venture created by A&E Networks, an American basic cable channel.
There are a few different phrases that can be used in place of the term FYI. These are known as synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. It is useful to know synonyms for acronyms like FYI because in a formal or professional setting it is not always appropriate to use these initialisms. You should always opt to use the full form of a phrase when you are in a formal setting. The below list of synonyms for the term FYI is provided by Word Hippo Thesaurus.
There are many ways that the acronym FYI can be used in a sentence. Using words and acronyms in sentences is a great way to memorize their definition. You can also create flashcards or a quiz for yourself to memorize their definitions. Try using this abbreviation of the day in a sentence today. Below are many examples of FYI.
EXAMPLE 1
Thomas: FYI, I dunno wth u ppl are sayin abt the quiz on Friday. She never said anything about a quiz?
Lindsay: Ms. Hannigan has reminded us about the quiz every day this week at the beginning of class. If you weren’t late every day you would know about it!
EXAMPLE 2
Ms. Hannigan: FYI, you are required to include a bibliography in your essay that contains at least one citation.
Lindsay: What format would you like that in? MLA or APA? And do you want that bibliography annotated?
Thomas: Lindsay, don’t give her any ideas.
EXAMPLE 3
HR Manager: FYI, many of our colleagues are leaving early for the holiday weekend. Do you think we should just give everyone a half day?
CEO: No way. They can take their vacation time if they want. I’m not paying people not to work. I’m going to be here until midnight if I have to, because that’s what it takes to run a business.
HR Manager: Weren’t you in Costa Rica all last week?
EXAMPLE 4
Student: FYI, I just had ACL surgery so I am excused from gym class this semester. Here is my doctor’s note.
PE Teacher: Well you have to do something. You can’t just sit around during class.
Student: But… I have a doctor’s not saying I shouldn’t be moving around? Can’t I help with admin tasks or something instead? I don’t want to re-injure my knee.
Overall, the acronym FYI most often stands for “for your information.” This term is commonly used in text messaging, on social media, and in other written forms of communication.
