VA
Abbreviation with 8 meanings
| Stands for | Virginia |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 8 |
| Categories | Geography & Places, Government & Politics, Military, Medical, Units & Measurements, Technology & Computing, Texting & Internet Slang |
VA has eight meanings. The most common are Virginia (US state) and United States Department of Veterans Affairs (US federal agency); it can also stand for Department of Veterans Affairs, Visual acuity, Vatican City, Volt-ampere and Vertical alignment, plus 1 more listed below.
Meanings of VA at a glance
| # | VA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | Geography & Places › US State |
| 2 | United States Department of Veterans Affairs | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
| 3 | Department of Veterans Affairs | Military › Veteran |
| 4 | Visual acuity | Medical › Ophthalmology & ENT |
| 5 | Vatican City | Geography & Places › Country Code |
| 6 | Volt-ampere | Units & Measurements › Engineering Unit |
| 7 | Vertical alignment | Technology & Computing › Consumer Electronics |
| 8 | Voice actor | Texting & Internet Slang › Fandom and Fan Fiction |
1. Virginia
Geography & Places · US State Abbreviations
Virginia, officially a commonwealth and nicknamed the Old Dominion, ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. Richmond is the capital and Virginia Beach the largest city, and eight presidents were born there, more than in any other state.
Example: The defense contractor's main office is in Arlington, VA, just across the Potomac.
AP and traditional style use Va. The code dates from 1963. VA most often refers to the Department of Veterans Affairs (a VA hospital, a VA loan), and it is also the ISO code for Vatican City. West Virginia is WV, and the Northern Virginia suburbs are often called NoVA.
2. United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Provides health care, disability compensation, pensions, education benefits, home loan guarantees and burial in national cemeteries to military veterans. Its health system includes about 170 medical centers and more than 1,000 outpatient clinics, under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Example: He gets his prescriptions through the VA and uses his GI Bill benefits at a community college.
The Veterans Administration was formed in 1930 and became a cabinet department in 1989. The VA has three main arms: the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Administration. VA is also the postal abbreviation for Virginia, a frequent source of confusion in addresses.
3. Department of Veterans Affairs
Military · Veteran Abbreviations
Federal cabinet department that provides health care, disability compensation, pensions, education benefits, home loan guarantees, life insurance and burial benefits to US veterans and their families. It runs the largest integrated health care system in the country.
Example: The VA approved his disability claim six months after he filed.
The Veterans Administration was created in 1930 and became the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989, keeping the familiar initials. Its three main branches are the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration. Its motto, from Lincoln's second inaugural address, is "To care for him who shall have borne the battle." A VA home loan requires no down payment for eligible borrowers.
4. Visual acuity
Medical · Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations
Measure of the sharpness of central vision, usually tested one eye at a time with a Snellen chart at 20 feet and recorded as a fraction such as 20/20 or 20/40. It is the first measurement in almost every eye exam.
Example: VA sc OD 20/60, OS 20/25; pinhole OD 20/30, suggesting refractive error.
Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen introduced his letter chart in 1862. Countries using meters write 6/6 instead of 20/20, and research uses logMAR charts. In the US, legal blindness is best-corrected acuity of 20/200 or worse in the better eye, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less. Most states require about 20/40 for an unrestricted driver's license. Notes add "cc" (with correction) or "sc" (without).
5. Vatican City
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
Smallest country in the world, about 0.44 square kilometres inside Rome, and the seat of the Holy See and the Pope. Its alpha-3 code, VAT, looks like value-added tax, and websites use .va.
Example: The Vatican Museums' official site sits on the VA domain, not .com.
In US usage VA usually means Virginia or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Vatican City was created by the 1929 Lateran Treaty with Italy. The Swiss Guard protects the Pope.
6. Volt-ampere
Units & Measurements · Engineering Unit Abbreviations
Apparent power in AC circuits: voltage times current, without accounting for power factor. UPS units, transformers and generators are rated in VA because their wiring must carry the full current even when real power in watts is lower.
Example: The 1500 VA UPS supplies up to 900 W to connected equipment.
Real power equals VA times the power factor, so loads such as motors and older power supplies draw more VA than W. Reactive power, the component that does no useful work, is measured in var (volt-ampere reactive). Electricians size wiring and breakers on VA rather than watts.
7. Vertical alignment
Technology & Computing · Consumer Electronics Abbreviations
LCD panel technology in which liquid crystals align perpendicular to the screen when off, blocking more backlight and giving contrast ratios of 3,000:1 or more, far deeper blacks than IPS or TN panels. Many TVs and curved monitors use VA.
Example: The VA monitor's blacks look great for movies, but dark scenes in fast games smear slightly.
Fujitsu introduced multi-domain VA panels in the late 1990s. Weaknesses include narrower viewing angles than IPS and slow transitions between dark shades, seen as "black smearing" in motion. Most mid-range LCD TVs use VA panels for their contrast. Samsung, AUO and other makers produce them in many sizes.
8. Voice actor
Texting & Internet Slang · Fandom and Fan Fiction Abbreviations
Performer who provides the voice of a character in anime, animation, dubbing or video games. Fans follow favorite VAs across roles and attend their convention panels.
Example: Her VA also voices my favorite character in the new RPG.
Japanese voice actors, called seiyuu, have large fan followings and often sing their characters' songs. Dub fans and sub fans debate English versus Japanese VAs. Outside fandom VA means Virginia, the US Department of Veterans Affairs or a virtual assistant.
Related abbreviations
More US state abbreviations
- SD – South Dakota
- TN – Tennessee
- TX – Texas
- UT – Utah
- VT – Vermont
- WA – Washington
- WI – Wisconsin
- WV – West Virginia
See all 51 US state abbreviations →
More US federal agency abbreviations
- ACF – Administration for Children and Families
- AOC – Architect of the Capitol
- APHIS – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- ATF – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- BARDA – Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
- BEA – Bureau of Economic Analysis
- BEP – Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- BIA – Bureau of Indian Affairs
See all 152 US federal agency abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.