ABD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | All but dissertation |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Medical |
| Also written | Abd |
ABD has two meanings. It stands for All but dissertation (academic) or Abdomen (abdominal) (anatomy).
Meanings of ABD at a glance
| # | ABD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All but dissertation | Education & Academia › Academic |
| 2 | Abdomen (abdominal) | Medical › Anatomy |
1. All but dissertation
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Informal status of a doctoral student who has completed coursework and qualifying exams and advanced to candidacy, leaving only the dissertation. It is not a degree, though job ads in academia sometimes accept "ABD" candidates expected to finish soon.
Example: The college will consider ABD applicants who defend before the fall start date.
Some universities recognize the stage with a formal credential, such as the University of California's Candidate in Philosophy (CPhil) or an MPhil at Yale and Columbia. Many students who leave doctoral programs at this stage list "PhD coursework completed" instead. The phrase can carry a mild stigma when used to describe someone who never finished.
2. Abdomen (abdominal) (Abd)
Medical · Anatomy Abbreviations
Chart shorthand for the abdomen in exam notes, imaging orders and procedure documentation, as in "abd soft, nontender" or "CT abd/pelvis". The abdomen extends from the diaphragm to the pelvic brim and contains most digestive organs, the kidneys and major blood vessels.
Example: Abd: soft, NT/ND, normoactive bowel sounds, no organomegaly.
The abdominal exam classically runs inspection, auscultation, percussion and palpation, with listening before pressing so bowel sounds are not altered. The "abs" of fitness writing are the rectus abdominis muscles. In kinesiology "abd" can also mean abduction, movement away from the midline, so context matters.
Related abbreviations
More academic abbreviations
- AACSB – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- AAU – Association of American Universities
- ABET – ABET (formerly Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)
- ADT – Associate Degree for Transfer
- AO – Admissions officer
- AP – Associate professor
- APA – American Psychological Association style
- APC – Article processing charge
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More anatomy abbreviations
- AC – Acromioclavicular (joint)
- ACL – Anterior cruciate ligament
- ANS – Autonomic nervous system
- ASIS – Anterior superior iliac spine
- ATFL – Anterior talofibular ligament
- BBB – Blood-brain barrier
- C-spine – Cervical spine
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.