abbreviation

FW

eff-DUB-uhl-yoo

FW (abbreviation) means Forward: a tag placed at the front of an email subject line to show the message is being passed on from someone else. Example: “My inbox is full of FW: messages my dad keeps sending me.”

abbreviation

Forward: a tag placed at the front of an email subject line to show the message is being passed on from someone else.

"My inbox is full of FW: messages my dad keeps sending me."

"Strip the FW: from the subject before you send it to the client."

technical Firmware: the low-level software built into a device to control its hardware.

"A FW update finally fixed the Bluetooth dropouts."

How to Use FW

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA short way of writing 'forwarded' at the start of an email.

When to use it

Written only. FW: is the prefix used by Microsoft Outlook, so it turns up constantly in workplace email.

Easily confused with

FWD → RE → FYI →

Common pairings

FW: subject line FW update FW version

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

My inbox is full of _____: messages my dad keeps sending me.

Etymology

An abbreviation of forward in email use, and of firmware in computing.

Origin: English

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between FW and FWD?

Nothing in meaning: both mark an email that is being passed on. The difference is which program wrote it, as Outlook inserts FW: while Gmail and most others insert Fwd:.

What does RE: mean compared with FW:?

RE: marks a reply to a message you received, while FW: marks a message you are sending on to someone new. A long thread often collects both.

Featured In

Vocabulary lists that include FW:

Words That End With W