Masonic Abbreviations
The letters after a name on a Lodge roster, inside a ring, on a certificate or at the top of a letter, and what each stands for.
Usage varies between Grand Lodges and between bodies, and the same letters can mean different things in different rooms: W.M. is the Worshipful Master in a Lodge and the Worthy Matron in an Eastern Star chapter. None of the titles here is a degree; the Master Mason degree is the highest in Freemasonry.
Grand Lodge styles
The letters after a Grand Lodge's or a Lodge's name. They record history, not rank.
- F.&A.M.
- Free and Accepted MasonsThe style of many American Grand Lodges, Pennsylvania among them. Every Grand Lodge chooses its own, and there is no difference in standing between styles.
- A.F.&A.M.
- Ancient Free and Accepted Masons"Ancient" usually traces back to the eighteenth-century "Antients" Grand Lodge in England, whose practice influenced many American Grand Lodges. It does not mean older or more regular.
- F.A.A.M.
- Free and Accepted MasonsAnother way of writing the same style; the District of Columbia uses it.
- A.F.M.
- Ancient Free MasonsSouth Carolina's style.
- P.H.A.
- Prince Hall AffiliatedMarks Lodges and Grand Lodges descended from African Lodge No. 459 and Prince Hall, often written "F.&A.M., P.H.A." Recognition between Prince Hall and mainstream Grand Lodges is decided by each Grand Lodge.
- G.L.
- Grand LodgeThe governing body of the Craft in a jurisdiction, usually a state in the U.S. Each is sovereign.
- U.G.L.E.
- United Grand Lodge of EnglandFormed in 1813 from the union of the "Moderns" and "Antients" Grand Lodges.
- U.D.
- Under DispensationA new Lodge working on the Grand Master's dispensation before it has received its charter.
Degrees
The three degrees of the Craft. The third is the highest in Freemasonry.
- E.A.
- Entered ApprenticeThe first degree.
- F.C.
- Fellowcraft (Fellow Craft)The second degree.
- M.M.
- Master MasonThe third degree, and the highest degree in Freemasonry. Every appendant body requires it; none outranks it.
Lodge officers
As they appear on a Lodge roster or after a brother's name.
- W.M.
- Worshipful MasterIn the Eastern Star, W.M. means Worthy Matron instead.
- S.W.
- Senior Warden
- J.W.
- Junior Warden
- Treas.
- Treasurer
- Sec. / Secy.
- Secretary
- S.D.
- Senior Deacon
- J.D.
- Junior Deacon
- S.S. / J.S.
- Senior Steward / Junior Steward
- Chap.
- Chaplain
- Tyl.
- Tyler (Tiler)
- P.M.
- Past MasterA brother who has served a term as Worshipful Master. An honor for service, not a degree.
- I.P.M.
- Immediate Past MasterThe brother who held the chair most recently.
- D.C. / A.D.C.
- Director of Ceremonies / Assistant Director of CeremoniesEnglish practice.
- I.G.
- Inner GuardEnglish practice.
Grand Lodge officers
The order of the words varies: some Grand Lodges write S.G.W., others G.S.W.
- G.M.
- Grand Master
- P.G.M.
- Past Grand Master
- D.G.M.
- Deputy Grand Master
- S.G.W. / G.S.W.
- Senior Grand Warden (Grand Senior Warden)
- J.G.W. / G.J.W.
- Junior Grand Warden (Grand Junior Warden)
- G.Sec.
- Grand Secretary
- G.Treas.
- Grand Treasurer
- D.D.G.M.
- District Deputy Grand MasterThe Grand Master's representative to a district of Lodges.
- P.D.D.G.M.
- Past District Deputy Grand Master
Titles and forms of address
Titles of office. None is a degree, and usage varies by Grand Lodge and by body.
- Bro. / Bros.
- Brother / BrothersAny Freemason.
- W. / W.Bro.
- Worshipful / Worshipful BrotherThe Master of a Lodge, and in many jurisdictions Past Masters.
- V.W.
- Very WorshipfulCertain grand and district officers in some jurisdictions.
- R.W.
- Right WorshipfulCommonly senior grand officers. In Pennsylvania, the Grand Master.
- M.W.
- Most WorshipfulThe Grand Master in almost every American Grand Lodge.
- Comp.
- CompanionA member of a Royal Arch Chapter, as "Brother" is in a Lodge.
- Sir Kt.
- Sir KnightA Knight Templar, in a Commandery.
- Ill.
- IllustriousUsed of 33° Scottish Rite Masons and of certain officers in several appendant bodies.
- Noble
- NobleA member of the Shrine.
York Rite
Chapter, Council and Commandery, plus the honors that sit above them.
- Y.R.
- York Rite
- R.A.M.
- Royal Arch MasonsThe Chapter.
- H.R.A.
- Holy Royal ArchThe English name for the Royal Arch.
- M.M.M.
- Mark Master Mason
- R.&S.M.
- Royal and Select MastersThe Council, also called Cryptic Masonry.
- K.T.
- Knights TemplarThe Commandery.
- H.P. / E.H.P.
- High Priest / Excellent High PriestThe presiding officer of a Royal Arch Chapter.
- E.C.
- Eminent CommanderThe presiding officer of a Commandery.
- K.Y.C.H.
- Knight of the York Cross of HonourAn honor for those who have presided over a Lodge, a Chapter, a Council and a Commandery. Conferred, not applied for.
Scottish Rite
The Rite's degrees are numbered 4° to 32°, with 33° an honor. None outranks the Master Mason.
- S.R.
- Scottish Rite
- N.M.J.
- Northern Masonic JurisdictionFifteen states in the Northeast and Midwest, Pennsylvania among them.
- S.J.
- Southern JurisdictionThe other 35 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
- 32°
- Thirty-second degreeThe final degree conferred in the American Scottish Rite. Not senior to the Master Mason degree.
- 33°
- Thirty-third degreeAn honor conferred by the Supreme Council for service. It cannot be applied for.
- K.C.C.H.
- Knight Commander of the Court of HonourA Southern Jurisdiction honor for service, conferred, not applied for.
- S.G.I.G.
- Sovereign Grand Inspector GeneralAn active member of a Supreme Council, 33°.
Shrine, Eastern Star and the youth orders
Bodies with their own members and their own rules. Most require a Masonic connection.
- A.A.O.N.M.S.
- Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic ShrineThe Shrine's original name. It has been Shriners International since 2010.
- W.M. / W.P.
- Worthy Matron / Worthy PatronThe presiding officers of an Eastern Star chapter. Not to be confused with the Worshipful Master.
- I.O.R.G.
- International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
- J.D.I.
- Job's Daughters International
Masonic dates
Each body counts the years from its own symbolic starting point. Add or subtract from the common year.
- A.L.
- Anno Lucis, "in the year of light"The Craft. Add 4,000: 2026 is A.L. 6026.
- A.Inv.
- Anno Inventionis, "in the year of the discovery"The Royal Arch. Add 530: 2026 is A.Inv. 2556.
- A.Dep.
- Anno Depositionis, "in the year of the deposit"Royal and Select Masters. Add 1,000: 2026 is A.Dep. 3026.
- A.O.
- Anno Ordinis, "in the year of the Order"Knights Templar. Subtract 1,118: 2026 is A.O. 908.
- A.M.
- Anno Mundi, "in the year of the world"The Scottish Rite. Add 3,760, following the Hebrew calendar, so the year turns in the autumn rather than on January 1.
Other shorthand
On letters, certificates and the inside of rings.
- ∴
- Three points in a triangleMarks a Masonic abbreviation, as in "Bro∴" or "L∴". Mackey traces the custom to French Masonry in the 1770s.
- G.A.O.T.U.
- Great Architect of the UniverseThe name for the Supreme Being used in Lodge, so that men of different faiths can pray together.
- S.&C.
- Square and compasses
- V.S.L.
- Volume of the Sacred LawThe holy book on the altar, whichever a Lodge's members hold sacred.
For what each Lodge officer does and where he sits, see Lodge officers. For the emblems behind the letters, see Masonic symbols.