1812: Official document bearing the signature of the Grand Secretary of the Louisiana Grand Lodge, marked with the traditional three dots in triangle (∴), a Masonic symbol.
Masonic abbreviations of technical terms or official titles are very extensively used in Freemasonry traditionally using the Masonic three dots. They serve to abbreviate long or commonly-referenced titles in the fraternity.
These abbreviations were rarely employed in the earlier Masonic publications.[1] There are no abbreviations, for example, found in Anderson's Constitutions. These came into use particularly by French authors during the 19th century.
Traditionally the Three dots (∴) also known as "tripunctual abbreviation" or "triple dot" is a symbol used all over the world in Freemasonry for abbreviations, signatures, and symbolic representation. The dots are typically arranged in a triangular pattern and carry multiple layers of meaning within Masonic tradition.[2] The (∴) is used only for Masonic abbreviations, any non-masonic abbreviations must be written with a simple dot, as an example a date on a Masonic document could be written 6024 A∴L∴/2024 A.D.
In modern computer typography, the Therefore, sign is encoded in Unicode at U+2234 ∴ and in HTML (HTML ∴ · ∴). In many word processing programs therefore can be created by typing 2234 ALT+x, or ALT 8756. It is also possible to create the inverse, because, at U+2235 ∵ (HTML ∵), 2235 ALT+x, or ALT 8757.[citation needed]
History
The symbol has been used in Freemasonry since its earliest speculative days, at least as early as 1764, where it is found in the registers of La Sincerité Lodge in Besançon, France which stronlgy indicates an earlier use.[2] While some attribute its widespread adoption to a circular issued by the Grand Orient de France on August 12, 1774, evidence shows earlier usage.[3]
The symbol predates Freemasonry, appearing in various contexts:[4]
Mathematical notation (as the "therefore" symbol)
Christian religious texts (representing the Trinity)
The doubling of a letter is intended to express the plural of that word of which the single letter is the abbreviation. For example, B∴ signifies "Brother," and BB∴ " "Brothers." L∴ is used to denote "Lodge", and LL∴ to denote "Lodges". However exceptions exist; for example, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General is abbreviated as S∴G∴I∴G∴, and not S∴G∴II∴G∴.
Sometimes the same abbreviation can be used for different words, in this case the context matters, for example; F∴M∴ can mean both Free-Masonry or Free Mason, FF∴MM∴ would be it's plural form.
List
Some examples of Masonic abbreviations include:
A
Detail of a cornerstone in a Masonic lodge in Rochester, Minnesota with the date given in both Common Era year and Anno Lucis.
A.Dep. – Anno Depositionis. "In the Year of the Deposite", The date used by Royal and Select Masters
A∴F∴&A∴M∴ – Ancient Free and Accepted Masons[10][11]
A∴Inv∴ – Anno Inventionis. "In the Year of the Discovery", the date used by Royal Arch Masons
A∴L∴ – Anno Lucis, "In the Year of light" the date used by Ancient Craft Masons[12]
A∴ L∴ G∴ D∴ G∴ A∴ D∴ L'U∴ – À la Gloire du Grand Architecte de L'Univers. "To the Glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe" (French) The usual caption of French Masonic documents.
A∴ L∴ G∴ D∴ G∴ A∴ D∴ U∴ – A la Gloria del Gran Arquitecto del Universo. "To the Glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe" (Spanish) The usual caption of Spanish Masonic documents.
A∴ L'O∴ – À L'Orient, "At the East" (French) The seat of the Lodge
M∴W∴Grand Lodge of F∴ and A∴ Masons of the State of Louisiana, at its Fifty-fifth Annual Communication, held at New Orleans, February 11, 1867. Using the three dots.
B
B∴ – Brother in English (sometimes Bro∴) or Bruder. German, meaning Brother.
BB∴ - Brothers (Plural)
B∴A∴ - Buisson Ardent. French, meaning Burning Bush.
G. and G∴[15] – Depending on the context, refers to God, Great (as in “Great Architect of the Universe”), Grand (as in “Grand Master”), Geometry, Gravitation, Gold, Generation, Genius and Gnosis[16]
G∴ A∴ O∴ T∴ U∴ – Grand Architect of the Universe.[13]
G∴ A∴ S∴ – Grand Annual Sojourn.
G.C.– Grand Chapter; Grand Council; Grand Cross; Grand Commander; Grand Chaplain; Grand Conclave; Grand Conductor; Grand Chancellor.
G∴ C∴ G∴ – Grand Captain General; Grand Captain of the Guard.
G ∴ C∴ H∴ – Grand Captain of the Host; Grand Chapter of Heredom.
I∴ N∴ R∴ I∴ – Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudoeorum. Latin, meaning "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". The Letters are also the initials of a significant sentence in Latin, namely, Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, meaning "By fire nature is perfectly renewed".
I∴ P∴ M∴ – Immediate Past Master. English title of an official last promoted from the chair.
I∴ T∴ N∴ O∴ T∴ G∴ A∴ O∴ T∴ U∴ – In the Name of the Grand Architect of the Universe. Often forming the caption of Masonic documents.
M∴ L∴ – Maurer Lehrling. German, meaning Entered Apprentice.
M∴ L∴ – Mère Loge. French, meaning Mother Lodge.
M∴ M∴ – Master Mason. Mois Maçonnique, "Masonic Month" (French): March 18 the first Masonic month among French Freemasons. Also Meister Maurer, "Master Mason" (German)
Front cover of the first Grand Lodge proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Nevada in the year 1865 or 5865
N∴ E∴ C∴ – North-east Corner.
N'o∴ P∴ V∴ D∴ M∴ – N'oubliez pas vos décorations Maçonniques, "Do not forget your Masonic regalia" (French), a phrase used in France on the corner of a summons.
O
O∴ – Orient.
O∴ A∴ C∴ – Ordo ab Chao, "Order Out of Chaos" (Latin)
R∴ L∴ or R∴ []∴ – Respectable Loge (French), or Respectable Logia (Spanish) meaning "Worshipful Lodge"
R∴ S∴ Y∴ C∴ S∴ – Rosy Cross (in the Royal Order of Scotland).
R∴ W∴ – Right Worshipful.
R∴ W∴ M∴ – Right Worshipful Master.
S
S∴ – Scribe, Sentinel, Seneschal, Sponsor.
S∴ C∴ – Supreme Council.
S∴ F∴ U∴ – Initials for "Salud, Fuerza, y Union", meaning health, strength and union. A valediction used in Spanish speaking jurisdictions.
S∴ G∴ D∴ – Senior Grand Deacon.
S∴ G∴ I∴ G∴ – Sovereign Grand Inspector General
S∴ G∴ W∴ – Senior Grand Warden.
S∴ M∴ – Secret Master; Substitute Master
S∴ O∴ – Senior Overseer.
S∴ P∴ R∴ S∴ – Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret.
S∴ S∴ – Sanctum Sanctorum, "Holy of Holies" (Latin)
S∴ S∴ M∴ – Senior Substitute Magus.
S∴ S∴ S∴ – The initials of the Latin word Salutem, meaning Greeting, repeated thrice and also found similarly in the French, Trois Fois Salut, meaning "Thrice Greeting". A common caption for French Masonic circulars or letters. Similarly found in Spanish Triple Abrazo Fraternal, meaning "Triple Fraternal Hug or Embrace".
T∴ A∴ F∴ – Triple Abrazo Fraternal. Spanish, meaning triple fraternal hug or embrace. Similar to S∴ S∴ S∴
T∴ C∴ F∴ – Très Cher Frère. French, meaning Very Dear Brother.
T∴ G∴ A∴ O∴ T∴ U∴ – The Grand Architect of the Universe.
T∴ S∴ – Tres Sage. Meaning Very Wise, addressed to the presiding officer of French Rite.
U
U∴ D∴ – Under Dispensation.
V
V∴ or Vén∴ – Vénérable. French, meaning Worshipful.
V∴ M∴ Venerable Master. Can also be Venerable Maestro (Spanish) the title used for Worshipful Master in Spanish speaking jurisdictions.
V∴ D∴ B∴ – Very Dear Brother.
V∴ D∴ S∴ A∴ – Veut Dieu Saint Amour, or Vult Dei Sanctus Animus. A formula used by the Knights Templar. The expression Veut Dieu Saint Amour means "Wishes God Holy Love". Vult Dei Sanctus Animus is the Latin Version of the same phrase.
^Mackey, A. G. (1914). An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences: comprising the whole range of arts, sciences and literature as connected with the institution. New and rev. ed. / New York: Masonic History Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ abBoucher, Jules (1996). La symbolique maçonnique.
