The acronym, initially speaking

Q: It seems as if journalists are now calling the initials of every organization an acronym. But I always understood it to be an acronym only when the initials can be pronounced as a word. A: It’s not just journalists. Many English speakers use the term “acronym” to mean an abbreviation with individual letters pronounced. In fact, that’s what “acronym” meant when it first appeared in English. As it turns out, language authorities are divided today on whether an “acronym” is an abbreviation pronounced as one word or as individual letters. Some standard dictionaries agree with you that an “acronym” is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of the words in a name or phrase and pronounced as a single word (such as “NATO” or “radar”). However, others say the term “acronym” can also refer to an initialism—an abbreviation formed from initial letters with each letter pronounced (such as “FBI” or “CIA”). The online Cambridge Dictionary, for example, takes the narrower view, defining…