abbreviations Mixing use of K for thousands and MM for millions English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Using “MM” may avoid this problem altogether, but visually, “MM” may appear cluttered if a value has been abbreviated multiple times. “M” is one of the simplest abbreviations for million, making it a convenient choice for use in everyday communication, especially online, where space and time are in demand. Including a million in an Instagram caption or Twitter post that can only contain a limited number of words saves space. Contextual Usage of “M” and “MM” Though there is no globally accepted standard, there are country-specific standards. For example, the International System of Units (SI) recommends using “M” for million. The use of abbreviation varies based on the country and its language. The first abbreviation is the letter “M”, which stands for “thousand” in Roman numerals. In an english or essay setting, however, assuming you dont write out the entire word, 1 m will probably be more accepted for it counts as two words being seperated by a space. To avoid confusion, use any and all abbreviations consistently throughout all your financial records. Abbreviating “million” as “M” is fine, because recruiters can easily understand what you’re trying to say. a. Historical Background on Abbreviations Yes, MM is recognized globally in the world of finance and Statement of Comprehensive Income accounting to represent one million. However, it’s important to note that it may be less known in areas where the use of Roman numerals is not common and in non-English speaking countries who may use other abbreviations. The term enables clarity and consistency, reducing the risk of misunderstandings due to different interpretations of number notation. It originates from the Roman numeral, M, for thousand, and MM is used to indicate one thousand thousands, which makes a million. How much is 10 MM dollars? To further muddy the waters, K can also mean “kelvin,” which is the base unit of temperature. The Notation MM for representing Millions is becoming less common as it creates confusion between the representation m or mm for million of M and MM, whereas the M denotes the Thousand. But due to confusion between M and MM, now the alternative notations are used for representing thousands and millions. When it comes to academic and scientific writing, the preference for abbreviating “million” can vary based on the specific style guide or publication. However, it’s worth noting that “MM” is also commonly what are retained earnings used in investment banking, especially in large-scale financial transactions and deals involving millions of dollars or euros. Use the capital letter “M” to abbreviate “million” (e.g., 1M for 1 million). Whether you choose to go formal or informal, it is crucial to maintain consistency throughout your communication. Avoid mixing abbreviations or slangs within the same document or conversation, as it may cause confusion. While the letter “k” is the most common abbreviation, there are a few different ways to abbreviate thousand. From myrias we get the English word myriad meaning “an extremely large number or amount”. “M” is a commonly used abbreviation and is universally understood as representing million. However, it’s important to note that it may be less known in areas where the use of Roman numerals is not common and in non-English speaking countries who may use other abbreviations. The Greek option is typically capitalized when multiple abbreviations are used for accounting purposes. We don’t know for sure why the Romans used letters or why they chose the letters they did. One theory says the use of M was because Romans measured a mile as a thousand paces. Another theory is that it is a misprinting of the Greek letter phi. M1, M2 and M3 are measurements of the United States money supply, known as the money aggregates. M1 includes money in circulation plus checkable deposits in banks. M2 includes M1 plus savings deposits (less than $100,000) and money market mutual funds.