- Fyi stands for your information.
- It is usually used not only in informal communication, but also in formal situations to draw attention to certain information.
Some contractions have found a second wind with the spread of online communication. Fyi is one of them – it was born decades before the invention of the Internet, but it really became popular when everyone started using email.
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The Meaning of Fyi
Fyi is an abbreviation for information. The term dates back to the 1930s, when it was used by journalists to mean that the messages they sent by telegraph – or portions of messages – were intended for the eyes of the person receiving the message, and not for further publication.
How to Use Fyi
Fyi is commonly used even in professional communication to indicate that a message or part of it is for informational purposes only and does not require any action. This is why you often see fyi in email subject lines.
In formal situations, and especially on email subject lines, it is recommended to write fyi in capital letters – it looks more professional. If you are using the abbreviation for informal conversations, you can still write it in capital letters, but this is not necessary.
Examples
- FYI: New research shows that photographing kittens reduces stress.
- I was late for the concert, and by the way, school was the third bus stop after the mall, not the fourth.