Abbreviation of "number"

I'm personally not familiar with using "nr." but that doesn't mean it isn't ever done. His bib no. was 515 in the race would probably work, although you don't usually use abbreviations in normal prose. Save that for a chart. On the other hand, you can use the pound sign (#): He was #515 in the race.

To abbreviate the word ' number' it is with a capital 'N' and followed by a full stop.....i.e...'No.'

Well, Anon, it depends on what you use as your style guide, doesn't it?

Abbreviations are a matter of style, not grammar, which means that there is no "always do" and "never do." The most important thing for style is to be consistent within whichever style you choose to follow. You can use AP, or Chicago, or whatever you follow, including a house style.

The fact that you say "

It's still a bit unclear to me whether "no." (or some other abbreviation, maybe) can be used to replace number eg. in phrases "Number of messages" and "Serial number". Would you please share your views. I do have a reason for using abbreviations.

The number sign # (also known as hash) is mostly used for counting or ranking lists (ordinal numbering), especially in names and titles.
If the # is placed behind a number it's called a pound sign in the US (3# of sugar), if precedes the number it's called number sign, other countries use lb. for pound instead
UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and the rest of Europe

hi,

I hope the term number must be abbreviated only as "no.". But some people are using the abbreviation without the "dot" at the end.

In French, the dot depends on the last letter. As the abbreviation of numéro (meaning number) ends with the last letter of the word numéro, we don't use the dot. If the abbreviation was built with the starting letters like nu, in that case we should write "nu." (nu dot).

Another example is boulevard. In English you write blvd but the rigth abbreviation is boul. in French

AnonymousIt's still a bit unclear to me whether "no." (or some other abbreviation, maybe) can be used to replace number eg. in phrases "Number of messages" and "Serial number". Would you please share your views. I do have a reason for using abbreviations.

no.,
1. north.
2. northern.
3. number.
Also,

I agree that "no" as an abbreviation, whether capitalized and full-stopped or not, is liable to be confusing in all but the very clearest contexts. I would use the endearingly-named "hash mark" if at all possible, especially before another word (# of messages).

I don't know what you're writing, but if it's a chart of some kind, sometimes it's possible to substitute another number wor

Hi,

My advice is that you should not abbreviate the word 'number' in any sentence that is not very informal writing. Just abbreviate it in relatively short phrases, eg report headings.

Best wishes, Clive