1. A system of rapid handwriting employing symbols to represent words, phrases, and letters.
2. A system, form, or instance of abbreviated or formulaic reference: "The classical error is to regard a scientific law as only a shorthand for its instances" (Jacob Bronowski).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.