establ

Establ is a truncation that appears as a shorthand in various English-language texts, typically used to refer to the verb establish or the adjective established. It is not treated as an independent headword in standard dictionaries, but rather as a clipping or field label in specialized contexts.

Origins and form

The underlying words are establish and established, which come from Old French establir and Latin stabilire. As a clipped form, establishers and editors sometimes employ establ or establ. in notes, tables, or data records to save space or to align with established editorial conventions. In many cases, the form is seen without punctuation (establ) or with a period (establ.), depending on house style.

Usage and contexts

- Archival and bibliographic records: establ or establ. is used to denote the year an institution, publication, or entity was established, for example “establ 1902” or “establ. 1902.”

- Data labeling and spreadsheets: as a field label, est ab l may indicate “date established” or “establishment year.”

- Linguistic and computational contexts: as a lemma or annotation shorthand in corpora and lexical databases to represent the base verb establish or its adjectival form established.

- General notes: because it is a clipped form, readers should rely on contextual cues or editorial glosses to determine the intended meaning.

See also

Establishment, established, establish, establishment date.

Note

Establ is chiefly a practical abbreviation rather than a formally recognized lexical entry, and its acceptability varies by discipline and publishing house.