BL
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Boys' love |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Texting & Internet Slang, Religion, Geography & Places |
| Also written | Bl. |
BL has three meanings. The most common are Boys' love (fandom and fan fiction) and Blessed (religious title); it can also stand for Saint Barthélemy.
Meanings of BL at a glance
| # | BL stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boys' love | Texting & Internet Slang › Fandom and Fan Fiction |
| 2 | Blessed | Religion › Religious Title |
| 3 | Saint Barthélemy | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. Boys' love
Texting & Internet Slang · Fandom and Fan Fiction Abbreviations
Genre of romance fiction centered on relationships between male characters, originating in Japanese manga and now including Thai, Chinese and Korean dramas, webtoons and novels.
Example: Thai BL dramas got me through the 2020 lockdown.
Japanese "boys' love" grew from 1970s shōjo manga and became a large publishing category. Thai BL series such as 2gether (2020) built huge international audiences. BL is distinct from Western gay literature in its conventions and mostly female readership.
2. Blessed (Bl.)
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Title given in the Catholic Church to a person who has been beatified, the stage before canonization, after a recognized miracle or martyrdom. A Blessed may be venerated publicly, usually in a particular diocese, region or religious order.
Example: Bl. Solanus Casey, a Capuchin friar from Detroit, was beatified in 2017.
Canonization as a saint normally requires a second miracle after beatification. Beatification ceremonies are usually held in the person's home country, presided over by a cardinal on the pope's behalf. The Latin equivalent is Beatus (masculine) or Beata (feminine).
3. Saint Barthélemy
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean, known as St. Barts, with Gustavia as its capital. It received its own ISO code in 2007 when it separated administratively from Guadeloupe.
Example: Yacht charter invoices for Gustavia list BL as the country.
Gustavia is named after King Gustav III, because the island was Swedish from 1784 to 1878. The alpha-3 code is BLM. Saint Barthélemy uses the euro.
Related abbreviations
More fandom and fan fiction abbreviations
- AMV – Anime music video
- AO3 – Archive of Our Own
- ARC – Advance reader copy
- AU – Alternate universe
- BNF – Big-name fan
- BrOTP – Bro one true pairing
- CB – Comeback
- CYOA – Choose your own adventure
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