CIA

1. 1
   proper nouninitialism

   Initialism of Central Intelligence Agency.

   The CIA declined to comment on the operation.

   Documents released last year detailed how the CIA tracked the network.

   Note

   It is spoken as three separate letters, C-I-A, because it is an initialism rather than a word-like acronym, and it nearly always takes the definite article: the CIA declined to comment. It also works as a modifier before another noun, as in a CIA spokesperson or the CIA Office of Medical Services. Several other names and terms share these three letters, and the surrounding talk usually settles which one is meant.

2. 2
   proper nouninitialism

   Initialism of Culinary Institute of America.

   He moved to New York to attend the CIA and study classical French technique.

   The CIA offers degrees in baking, wine studies, and restaurant management.

3. 3
   proper nouninitialism

   Initialism of Cleveland Institute of Art.

   She transferred to the CIA after a year at a state university.

   The CIA is known for its programs in industrial design and illustration.

4. 4
   proper nounPhilippinesinitialism

   Initialism of Clark International Airport.

   Passengers can reach Manila by bus from the CIA in a couple of hours.

   The CIA has expanded its terminals to handle growing passenger traffic.

   Note

   A Philippine use. Read this way, the three letters name Clark International Airport, and they do so mainly in Philippine travel and aviation talk. Like the intelligence agency, it is spoken letter by letter and takes the definite article, as in fly into the CIA. Outside a Philippine setting, a reader will usually reach first for the agency, so give the full name once before switching to the letters.

5. 5
   adjectiveinitialism

   Initialism of captured-in-action.

   The report marked the missing pilot as CIA pending confirmation.

   Several troops were recorded as CIA during the prolonged retreat.

   Note

   A casualty-reporting status from military usage, standing beside KIA (killed in action) and MIA (missing in action). It works as a label rather than a description: a soldier is recorded or marked as CIA, never more or less so. Because the same letters also name the intelligence agency, it is safest spelled out on first use outside military reports.

6. 6
   nouninitialism

   Initialism of Cultural Impact Assessment.

   The council would not approve the plan until a CIA had been completed.

   A thorough CIA examined how the highway would affect nearby sacred sites.

7. 7
   nouninitialism

   Initialism of Circuit Interactive Analyzer.

   Engineers connected the prototype to a CIA to map its voltage behavior.

   The CIA flagged a short between two adjacent traces on the board.

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