esp.
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Especially |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Writing & Everyday, Medical, Business & Finance, Transportation & Travel |
| Also written | ESP |
esp. has four meanings. The most common are Especially (grammar and dictionary) and Erector spinae plane (block) (anesthesia); it can also stand for Email service provider and Electronic Stability Program.
Meanings of esp. at a glance
| # | esp. stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Especially | Writing & Everyday › Grammar and Dictionary |
| 2 | Erector spinae plane (block) | Medical › Anesthesia |
| 3 | Email service provider | Business & Finance › Marketing & Advertising |
| 4 | Electronic Stability Program | Transportation & Travel › Automotive |
1. Especially
Writing & Everyday · Grammar and Dictionary Abbreviations
Narrows a definition to its most typical use or context, as in "a large house, esp. one in the country." It is common in dictionary definitions, footnotes and note-taking.
Example: manor (n.) a large country house with lands, esp. one held by a lord in medieval England
Dictionaries use esp. to show that a word applies chiefly, but not exclusively, to a particular case, so it should not be read as "only." Related restricting labels include usu. (usually) and spec. (specifically). Outside dictionaries, esp. is a handy shortening in notes, texts and margins.
2. Erector spinae plane (block) (ESP)
Medical · Anesthesia Abbreviations
Ultrasound-guided fascial plane block that deposits local anesthetic beneath the erector spinae muscle beside the spine, spreading to several spinal nerve levels. It is used for pain after chest, breast, spine and abdominal surgery and for rib fractures.
Example: Bilateral ESP catheters at T7 for multiple rib fractures.
First described in 2016, the ESP block spread quickly because the injection point lies away from the pleura and major vessels. Its exact mechanism and the extent of spread are still debated. Outside anesthesia, ESP most often means extrasensory perception.
3. Email service provider (ESP)
Business & Finance · Marketing & Advertising Abbreviations
Platform used to build mailing lists, design and send marketing or transactional emails, automate sequences and track opens, clicks and unsubscribes, such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo or Constant Contact.
Example: We're migrating to a new ESP with better ecommerce segmentation.
Deliverability depends heavily on the sender's authentication and reputation; since 2024 Gmail and Yahoo require bulk senders to authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, offer one-click unsubscribe and keep spam complaint rates low. Outside marketing, ESP also means extrasensory perception and electronic stability program in cars.
4. Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Transportation & Travel · Automotive Abbreviations
Bosch and Mercedes-Benz brand name for electronic stability control, widely used in Europe as the generic term. ESP brakes individual wheels to correct understeer or oversteer.
Example: The ESP light flashed as the car's rear end started to step out on the wet roundabout.
Introduced on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe in 1995. When the new Mercedes A-Class tipped over during a Swedish magazine's "elk test" swerving maneuver in 1997, Mercedes made ESP standard on the car, accelerating its adoption across the industry. In computing, ESP also means extrasensory perception in everyday speech.
Related abbreviations
More grammar and dictionary abbreviations
- derog. – Derogatory
- det. – Determiner
- dial. – Dialect
- dim. – Diminutive
- etym. – Etymology
- euph. – Euphemism
- fem. – Feminine
- fig. – Figuratively
See all 93 grammar and dictionary abbreviations →
More anesthesia abbreviations
- CICO – Can't intubate, can't oxygenate
- CSE – Combined spinal-epidural
- DL – Direct laryngoscopy
- eFONA – Emergency front-of-neck access
- EtCO2 – End-tidal carbon dioxide
- ETT – Endotracheal tube
- FOI – Fiberoptic intubation
- GA – General anesthesia
See all 34 anesthesia abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.