TSA
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Transportation Security Administration |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Medical, Law & Legal |
TSA has three meanings. The most common are Transportation Security Administration (US federal agency) and Total shoulder arthroplasty (musculoskeletal & rheumatology); it can also stand for Transition services agreement.
Meanings of TSA at a glance
| # | TSA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation Security Administration | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
| 2 | Total shoulder arthroplasty | Medical › Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology |
| 3 | Transition services agreement | Law & Legal › Contract |
1. Transportation Security Administration
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Screens passengers and baggage at US airports and sets security rules for other transportation systems. The DHS agency runs the TSA PreCheck expedited screening program and enforces the 3-1-1 rule limiting carry-on liquids to 3.4-ounce containers.
Example: Arrive two hours early, since TSA lines at the main terminal can exceed 40 minutes.
Created by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act in November 2001, two months after the September 11 attacks, it took over screening from private contractors hired by airlines. It moved from the Department of Transportation to DHS in 2003. In July 2025 it ended the general requirement for travelers to remove their shoes at checkpoints.
2. Total shoulder arthroplasty
Medical · Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology Abbreviations
Shoulder replacement in which the humeral head is replaced with a metal ball and the glenoid socket is resurfaced with plastic, preserving normal anatomy. It requires an intact, functioning rotator cuff and is used mainly for glenohumeral osteoarthritis.
Example: Severe GH osteoarthritis with intact cuff on MRI; anatomic TSA recommended.
Also called anatomic TSA (aTSA) to distinguish it from reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Glenoid component loosening is the main long-term failure mode. Outside medicine TSA means the US Transportation Security Administration. Pronounced as letters.
3. Transition services agreement
Law & Legal · Contract Abbreviations
Agreement under which the seller in an acquisition or corporate carve-out keeps providing services such as IT, payroll, accounting or logistics to the divested business for a limited period after closing. It lets the buyer run the business until it builds or contracts for its own systems.
Example: The TSA gives the buyer 12 months of payroll and IT support while it migrates the employees.
TSAs are typically priced at cost or cost plus a modest markup and run from six to 24 months, often with extension options. A reverse TSA covers services the buyer provides back to the seller. In everyday news, TSA means the Transportation Security Administration.
Related abbreviations
More US federal agency abbreviations
- SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- SBA – U.S. Small Business Administration
- SEC – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- SSA – Social Security Administration
- TVA – Tennessee Valley Authority
- USACE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- USAID – United States Agency for International Development
- USAO – United States Attorney's Office
See all 152 US federal agency abbreviations →
More musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations
- ACDF – Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
- ACLR – Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
- APS – Antiphospholipid syndrome
- AS – Ankylosing spondylitis
- AVN – Avascular necrosis
- axSpA – Axial spondyloarthritis
- BTB – Bone-patellar tendon-bone (graft)
- CES – Cauda equina syndrome
See all 71 musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical or legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.