ABR
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Auditory brainstem response |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical, Business & Finance, Writing & Everyday |
| Also written | abr. |
ABR has three meanings. The most common are Auditory brainstem response (ophthalmology & ENT) and Accredited Buyer's Representative (real estate & mortgage); it can also stand for Abridged.
Meanings of ABR at a glance
| # | ABR stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auditory brainstem response | Medical › Ophthalmology & ENT |
| 2 | Accredited Buyer's Representative | Business & Finance › Real Estate & Mortgage |
| 3 | Abridged | Writing & Everyday › Citation and Bibliography |
1. Auditory brainstem response
Medical · Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations
Test that records the electrical activity of the auditory nerve and brainstem in response to clicks or tones, using scalp electrodes. It screens newborns, estimates hearing thresholds in infants and young children, and detects auditory neuropathy.
Example: Automated ABR failed bilaterally in NICU graduate; diagnostic ABR by 3 months.
Also called BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response). US early hearing detection programs aim for "1-3-6": screening by one month, diagnosis by three months and intervention by six months. Sedation is often needed for diagnostic testing in older infants. Waves I through V correspond to sites along the auditory pathway.
2. Accredited Buyer's Representative
Business & Finance · Real Estate & Mortgage Abbreviations
Designation for real estate agents trained in representing homebuyers, awarded by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.
Example: Our agent has her ABR and only works with buyers.
Interest in buyer-representation training grew after 2024 rule changes required written agreements between buyers and their agents.
3. Abridged (abr.)
Writing & Everyday · Citation and Bibliography Abbreviations
Marks an abridged edition, a shortened version of a longer work, in citations, catalogs and book descriptions. Abridgments are common for long classics, audiobooks and reference works.
Example: Gibbon, Edward. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Abr. ed. London: Penguin, 2000.
Variants include abrid. and abgd. Abridged audiobooks cut text to shorten running time, while unabridged recordings read every word. Citing an abridged edition matters because passages may be missing. The opposite term, unabridged, is used for large dictionaries such as Webster's Third New International Dictionary.
Related abbreviations
More ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations
- ABRS – Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis
- ADD – Near addition (add power)
- AMD – Age-related macular degeneration
- anti-VEGF – Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor
- AOM – Acute otitis media
- AR – Allergic rhinitis
- AREDS – Age-Related Eye Disease Study
- ARMD – Age-related macular degeneration
See all 74 ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations →
More real estate & mortgage abbreviations
- ADU – Accessory dwelling unit
- ALTA – American Land Title Association
- ARM – Adjustable-rate mortgage
- ARV – After-repair value
- AVM – Automated valuation model
- BA – Bathroom
- BPO – Broker price opinion
- BR – Bedroom
See all 95 real estate & mortgage abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.