ATA

What Does ATA Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

ATA means "Actual Time of Arrival."

More Observations...

ATA is an abbreviation most commonly used with the meaning "Actual Time Of Arrival." This is the date and time at which an object or person in transit actually arrived at a point, which may or may not be the final destination; e.g., "The ATA of the bus from Philadelphia was 5:40 pm. It is now en-route to New York." Although ATA is a formal abbreviation, commonly used in the transport industry and military, it is also quite widely used by the general public.

Image for ATA

When I write ATA, I mean this:

ATA usually means Actual Time of Arrival.

Summary of Key Points

"Actual Time of Arrival" is, by far, the most common meaning for ATA when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

ATA
Definition:	Actual Time of Arrival
Type:	Acronym and Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of ATA in Sentences

Here are examples of ATA in conversations:

• Tony: Did he come in on the 3:40 bus? Are you on your way now?
• Jordan: His ATA was 4:05. We are about to leave.

• Tony: Did you get my email? Did you get it sorted?
• Jordan: The ATA of your email was 10:23 am. It is now 10:25 am. No.

An Academic Look at ATA

ATA is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Ay Tee Ay"). Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are spoken like words.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we would have just said "Actual Time of Arrival" instead of using the abbreviation ATA.

Example of ATA Used in a Text

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