WM
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Working memory |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Writing & Everyday, Medical |
| Also written | Wm. |
WM has three meanings. The most common are Working memory (psychology) and William (given name); it can also stand for Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
Meanings of WM at a glance
| # | WM stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Working memory | Science & Engineering › Psychology |
| 2 | William | Writing & Everyday › Given Name |
| 3 | Waldenström macroglobulinemia | Medical › Hematology and Oncology |
1. Working memory
Science & Engineering · Psychology Abbreviations
System for temporarily holding and manipulating information during complex tasks, such as mental arithmetic, following directions or understanding a sentence. Working memory capacity varies between people and predicts reasoning ability and academic performance.
Example: Doing long division in your head taxes WM because you must store partial results while calculating.
Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch proposed their influential multicomponent model in 1974, with a phonological loop, a visuospatial sketchpad and a central executive; Baddeley added an episodic buffer in 2000. WM is often distinguished from short-term memory by its emphasis on active processing. Commercial "brain training" to expand WM shows little transfer to other skills.
2. William (Wm.)
Writing & Everyday · Given Name Abbreviations
The standard written form of William in old records, letters, ledgers, censuses and gravestones, often with the m raised above the line. It survives in signatures and in the legal names of long-established companies.
Example: The 1840 deed was signed "Wm. Harper" in a bold hand, with his wife Mary's mark beside it.
The form contracts the name to its first and last letters, a common scribal practice, and the m was frequently written above the line. William was among the most common English male names from the Norman Conquest onward, popularized by William the Conqueror. Companies such as the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company kept the abbreviation in their legal names.
3. Waldenström macroglobulinemia
Medical · Hematology and Oncology Abbreviations
Slow-growing B-cell lymphoma (lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) that produces large amounts of IgM antibody, which can thicken the blood. Symptoms include fatigue, anemia, nosebleeds, vision changes, nerve damage and enlarged lymph nodes or spleen.
Example: IgM 5,200 mg/dL with blurred vision and retinal hemorrhages: WM with hyperviscosity, urgent plasmapheresis.
Named for Swedish physician Jan Waldenström, who described it in 1944. More than 90 percent of patients carry a MYD88 L265P mutation, which aids diagnosis. Hyperviscosity syndrome is treated urgently with plasma exchange. BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib and zanubrutinib and rituximab-based chemotherapy are standard treatments.
Related abbreviations
More psychology abbreviations
- 16PF – Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
- ABA – Applied behavior analysis
- ACT – Acceptance and commitment therapy
- BAI – Beck Anxiety Inventory
- BDI – Beck Depression Inventory
- CBT – Cognitive behavioral therapy
- CFA – Confirmatory factor analysis
- CR – Conditioned response
See all 62 psychology abbreviations →
More given name abbreviations
- Alexr. – Alexander
- Benj. – Benjamin
- Chas. – Charles
- Danl. – Daniel
- Edw. – Edward
- Eliz. – Elizabeth
- Fredk. – Frederick
- Geo. – George
See all 19 given name abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.