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Definitions, Abbreviations & Acronyms

International legal research usually involves defining new concepts and terms and deciphering many abbreviations and acronyms, such as CISG, CEDAW, UNCITRAL. Below are a few practical sources for obtaining this information.

Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (5th ed. 2001) is a standard source for locating the complete titles or names for legal abbreviations. Also available in the subscription database LexisNexis.

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations This website allows you to search for the meaning of abbreviations for English language legal publications from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States, including those covering international and comparative law.

Encyclopedia of Public International Law provides concise explanations of basic concepts and issues related to international law. Originally published in 1981, a new edition with addenda and some new articles was issued 1992-.

Oxford Companion to Law is a one-volume British encyclopedia that provides information on many international topics.

Research Tip
A general approach to finding the meaning of an abbreviation is to consult the source of the abbreviation first. A full title or name might be indicated in a footnote or there might be a table of abbreviations.