BD
Abbreviation with 8 meanings
| Stands for | Bipolar disorder |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 8 |
| Categories | Medical, Technology & Computing, Business & Finance, Geography & Places, Texting & Internet Slang, Education & Academia |
| Also written | bd |
BD has eight meanings. The most common are Bipolar disorder (mental health & psychiatry) and Blu-ray Disc (consumer electronics); it can also stand for Business development, Bis die (twice a day), Bangladesh, Broker-dealer and Baby daddy, plus 1 more listed below.
Meanings of BD at a glance
| # | BD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bipolar disorder | Medical › Mental Health & Psychiatry |
| 2 | Blu-ray Disc | Technology & Computing › Consumer Electronics |
| 3 | Business development | Business & Finance › Management & Strategy |
| 4 | Bis die (twice a day) | Medical › Prescription |
| 5 | Bangladesh | Geography & Places › Country Code |
| 6 | Broker-dealer | Business & Finance › Stock Market & Investing |
| 7 | Baby daddy | Texting & Internet Slang › Parenting Forum |
| 8 | Bachelor of Divinity | Education & Academia › Degree |
1. Bipolar disorder
Medical · Mental Health & Psychiatry Abbreviations
Mood disorder featuring episodes of mania or hypomania, usually alternating with depression. Bipolar I requires at least one manic episode lasting a week or needing hospitalization; bipolar II involves hypomania and major depression. Lithium, anticonvulsant mood stabilizers and some antipsychotics are the main treatments.
Example: BD type I, current episode manic with psychotic features; lithium level 0.9, add olanzapine.
Formerly called manic depression or manic-depressive illness. Australian psychiatrist John Cade reported lithium's effect on mania in 1949, and it remains the standard for preventing relapse and reducing suicide. Antidepressants alone can trigger mania. Also abbreviated BPAD; "BP" is avoided because it means blood pressure.
2. Blu-ray Disc
Technology & Computing · Consumer Electronics Abbreviations
High-capacity optical disc format using a blue-violet laser to store 25 GB per layer, used for high-definition films, video games and data. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs hold up to 100 GB of 4K HDR video.
Example: The 4K BD has much better picture and lossless audio compared with the streaming version.
The Blu-ray Disc Association, led by Sony, launched the format in 2006, and the PlayStation 3 put a Blu-ray drive in millions of homes. Blu-ray won a format war against Toshiba's HD DVD, which Toshiba abandoned in February 2008 after Warner Bros. chose Blu-ray. The 405-nanometer laser's shorter wavelength allows smaller pits than the red lasers of DVDs. The name is deliberately spelled without an "e".
3. Business development
Business & Finance · Management & Strategy Abbreviations
Work of creating long-term value for a company through new customers, partnerships, markets and deals, sitting between sales, strategy and corporate development. A BD team might negotiate distribution agreements, licensing deals or strategic alliances rather than close individual sales.
Example: Our BD lead is negotiating a co-marketing partnership with two payment processors.
The scope varies widely: in startups BD often means partnerships, in professional services it means winning new clients, and in pharmaceuticals it covers in-licensing drug candidates. Entry-level roles are often titled BDR (business development representative). In securities, BD can instead mean broker-dealer.
4. Bis die (twice a day) (bd)
Medical · Prescription Abbreviations
British and Commonwealth equivalent of the American BID, used on UK, Irish, Australian and Indian prescriptions and drug charts for two doses a day, usually morning and evening.
Example: Flucloxacillin 500 mg qds and paracetamol 1 g qds, plus omeprazole 20 mg bd.
Also written b.d. or BD. It is listed among the Latin abbreviations recognized by the British National Formulary. In US hospitals bd is uncommon and may be unfamiliar to staff, so prescriptions from abroad are often transcribed into BID or "twice daily".
5. Bangladesh
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
Represents Bangladesh, the densely populated South Asian country that won independence from Pakistan in 1971. Dhaka is the capital, BGD the alpha-3 code, and garment exports dominate its trade.
Example: Garment shipment labels from Chittagong list the origin as BD.
The taka is BDT on currency exchanges, and websites use .bd. The language code for Bengali is bn, which is also the ISO country code for Brunei.
6. Broker-dealer
Business & Finance · Stock Market & Investing Abbreviations
Firm registered to buy and sell securities for customers (as a broker) and for its own account (as a dealer). In the US, broker-dealers register with the SEC, join FINRA and, in most cases, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
Example: The firm operates both a BD and an RIA, so its advisers must disclose which capacity they are acting in.
Also written B-D or B/D. Broker-dealers must follow Regulation Best Interest when recommending securities to retail customers. Large banks and brokerages operate broker-dealer subsidiaries for their trading and wealth businesses. In general business usage, BD more often means business development.
7. Baby daddy
Texting & Internet Slang · Parenting Forum Abbreviations
Slang for the father of one's child, usually when the parents are not together, as in "her BD has the kids on weekends." Used in co-parenting discussions and pop culture.
Example: Her BD has the kids every other weekend and on Wednesdays.
Like "baby mama," it comes from African American Vernacular English and spread through hip-hop, TV and tabloids. It can be dismissive, so neutral terms such as "co-parent" are often preferred in serious discussions. Elsewhere BD can mean birthday or a Blu-ray disc.
8. Bachelor of Divinity
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations
Theology degree that in Scotland and parts of the Commonwealth serves as an undergraduate or graduate-entry route to ministry, and at Oxford and Cambridge historically was a higher degree for clergy. In the US it was replaced by the Master of Divinity around 1970.
Example: He holds a BD from the University of Edinburgh and serves as a Church of Scotland minister.
Written B.D. Older American clergy may list a BD earned before seminaries renamed the degree; many schools later allowed graduates to exchange it for an MDiv. In Scotland the BD remains a common qualification for Church of Scotland ministers.
Related abbreviations
More mental health & psychiatry abbreviations
- ASPD – Antisocial personality disorder
- AUD – Alcohol use disorder
- AUDIT – Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
- AWS – Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
- BDD – Body dysmorphic disorder
- BDI – Beck Depression Inventory
- BED – Binge eating disorder
- BH – Behavioral health
See all 100 mental health & psychiatry abbreviations →
More consumer electronics abbreviations
- ATSC – Advanced Television Systems Committee
- AUX – Auxiliary input
- AV – Audio-visual
- AVR – Audio/video receiver
- BLE – Bluetooth Low Energy
- BT – Bluetooth
- CCTV – Closed-circuit television
- CD – Compact Disc
See all 104 consumer electronics abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.