AMR
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Antimicrobial resistance |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical, Technology & Computing, Business & Finance |
AMR has three meanings. The most common are Antimicrobial resistance (infectious disease) and Adaptive Multi-Rate (file format); it can also stand for Autonomous mobile robot.
Meanings of AMR at a glance
| # | AMR stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antimicrobial resistance | Medical › Infectious Disease |
| 2 | Adaptive Multi-Rate | Technology & Computing › File Format |
| 3 | Autonomous mobile robot | Business & Finance › Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade |
1. Antimicrobial resistance
Medical · Infectious Disease Abbreviations
Ability of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites to survive medicines designed to kill them, driven by overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans and animals. The WHO ranks AMR among the top global public health threats.
Example: National AMR action plan targets a 20 percent cut in outpatient antibiotic prescribing.
A major 2022 analysis in The Lancet estimated that bacterial AMR directly caused about 1.27 million deaths in 2019. United Nations political declarations on AMR were adopted in 2016 and 2024. The "One Health" approach links human, animal and environmental antibiotic use. In other fields AMR can mean automated meter reading or aminoglycoside-modifying resistance genes.
2. Adaptive Multi-Rate
Technology & Computing · File Format Abbreviations
Speech audio codec standardized by 3GPP in 1999 for GSM and 3G mobile calls, also used for voice recordings and MMS voice notes saved as .amr files. It adapts its bit rate to network conditions.
Example: Old phone voice memos saved as AMR files need converting before most media players can open them.
The original AMR (narrowband) runs at 4.75 to 12.2 kbit/s and covers the telephone frequency range. AMR-WB, also known as G.722.2, captures wider bandwidth and is the codec behind early "HD Voice" calls. VoLTE networks now also use the newer EVS codec. AMR files are small but poorly suited to music.
3. Autonomous mobile robot
Business & Finance · Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade Abbreviations
Warehouse or factory robot that uses sensors and onboard maps to navigate dynamically around people and obstacles, often bringing items to pickers or guiding them through picks.
Example: The AMRs follow pickers and carry totes to the packing station.
AMRs can be deployed without modifying the building, which makes them popular for 3PL warehouses. In medicine, AMR means antimicrobial resistance.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- ACIP – Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
- AIDS – Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
- ARF – Acute rheumatic fever
- ART – Antiretroviral therapy
- ASP – Antimicrobial stewardship program
- BCG – Bacillus Calmette-Guérin
- BSI – Bloodstream infection
- C. diff – Clostridioides difficile
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
More file format abbreviations
- AAC – Advanced Audio Coding
- AI – Adobe Illustrator Artwork
- AIFF – Audio Interchange File Format
- ALAC – Apple Lossless Audio Codec
- APK – Android Package Kit
- APNG – Animated Portable Network Graphics
- ARW – Sony Alpha Raw
- ASF – Advanced Systems Format
See all 125 file format abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.