HM
Abbreviation with 6 meanings
| Stands for | His Majesty |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 6 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Writing & Everyday, Military, Medical, Sports, Geography & Places |
HM has six meanings. The most common are His Majesty (UK government) and His or Her Majesty (title and honorific); it can also stand for Hospital Corpsman, Hand motion, Half marathon and Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
Meanings of HM at a glance
| # | HM stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | His Majesty | Government & Politics › UK Government |
| 2 | His or Her Majesty | Writing & Everyday › Title and Honorific |
| 3 | Hospital Corpsman | Military › US Navy and Coast Guard Rating |
| 4 | Hand motion | Medical › Ophthalmology & ENT |
| 5 | Half marathon | Sports › Other Sports |
| 6 | Heard Island and McDonald Islands | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. His Majesty
Government & Politics · UK Government Abbreviations
Style of the British monarch, used as a prefix in the names of many government bodies and institutions, such as HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Prison Service and HM Passport Office.
Example: The forms were returned to HM Passport Office for correction.
The prefix switched from "Her" to "His" after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022; agencies changed signage and documents gradually. Royal Navy ships are prefixed HMS, for His Majesty's Ship. In formal address, the monarch is "His Majesty" and on second reference "the King".
2. His or Her Majesty
Writing & Everyday · Title and Honorific Abbreviations
Style of reigning kings and queens and queen consorts, as in HM The King. It also appears in British institutional names such as HM Revenue and Customs and in prefixes like HMS (His Majesty's Ship) and HMP (His Majesty's Prison).
Example: The ceremony was attended by HM The King and the Prime Minister.
After the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022, institutions switched from "Her Majesty's" to "His Majesty's," with signs and documents updated gradually. Spoken address is "Your Majesty," then "Sir" or "Ma'am." Other monarchs, including the emperor of Japan, are styled "His Majesty" in English.
3. Hospital Corpsman
Military · US Navy and Coast Guard Rating Abbreviations
Enlisted medical professionals who provide emergency care, run clinics and hospital wards, and serve as field medics with Marine Corps units, where every corpsman is called "Doc." Advanced corpsmen work as surgical, laboratory, radiology and independent-duty technicians.
Example: HM3 Alvarez treated two wounded Marines under fire during the patrol, according to the award citation.
The Navy Hospital Corps was established on June 17, 1898, and corpsmen have been described as the most decorated enlisted group in the Navy. Junior members are hospitalmen (HN) or apprentices (HA). Independent duty corpsmen serve as the only medical provider aboard small ships and submarines. HM is also an abbreviation for Her or His Majesty in British usage.
4. Hand motion
Medical · Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations
Visual acuity level recorded when a patient cannot count fingers but can see the examiner's hand moving in front of the eye. It indicates very poor vision, as in dense cataract, vitreous hemorrhage or advanced retinal disease.
Example: VA OS HM at 1 foot; B-scan ultrasound shows retinal detachment.
British usage often writes HM for hand movements. The test is performed in good lighting with the other eye covered. If hand motion cannot be seen, light perception is tested next. Pronounced as letters.
5. Half marathon
Sports · Other Sports Abbreviations
Road race of 21.0975 kilometers (13.1 miles), half the marathon distance. It is one of the most popular race distances for recreational runners training toward a marathon.
Example: Training plan: easy 8 miles Saturday, then the HM in two weeks.
Half marathons became mass-participation events in the 1980s and 1990s. World Athletics recognizes world records at the distance. Runners usually write "half" or "13.1" informally.
6. Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
Uninhabited Australian external territory in the Southern Ocean, about 4,000 kilometres southwest of Perth, home to Australia's only active volcanoes, including Mawson Peak on Big Ben. The islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Example: No one lives on HM, but the code still appears in every complete ISO country list.
Scientists visit only occasionally because of the remoteness and harsh weather. The alpha-3 code is HMD.
Related abbreviations
More UK government abbreviations
- FSA – Food Standards Agency
- GCHQ – Government Communications Headquarters
- GLA – Greater London Authority
- GMC – General Medical Council
- HMCTS – His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
- HMG – His Majesty's Government
- HMP – His Majesty's Prison
- HMPPS – His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service
See all 91 UK government abbreviations →
More title and honorific abbreviations
- DS – Detective Sergeant
- Esq. – Esquire
- Gov. – Governor
- H.E. – His or Her Excellency
- Hon. – Honorable
- HRH – His or Her Royal Highness
- HSH – His or Her Serene Highness
- Insp. – Inspector
See all 54 title and honorific abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.