FIFO

What Does FIFO Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

FIFO means "First In First Out."

More Observations...

The abbreviation FIFO is an acronym, i.e., it is an abbreviation spoken like a word. FIFO means the first person or thing into somewhere is also the first person or thing to leave. For example, the first person in a queue would naturally expect to be the first person to be served and to leave. FIFO is often used in accounting, where it refers to a method of inventory management based on the assumption that goods are sold or used in the same chronological order in which they are received. FIFO can also mean "Fit In Or F**k Off," which is a way of saying either get on with it or leave.

Image for FIFO

When I write FIFO, I mean this:

The first person in is the first person out.

Summary of Key Points

"First In First Out" is, by far, the most common meaning for FIFO when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

FIFO
Definition:	First In First Out
Type:	Acronym and Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of FIFO in Sentences

Here are examples of FIFO in conversations:

Daryl: There are going to be a lot of redundancies at work.
Martin: Weren't you the first person to work there? I hope it's not FIFO.

Rog: I don't want to spend all day waiting at the doctor's surgery.
Mike: Get there early and you can be FIFO.

An Academic Look at FIFO

The abbreviation FIFO is an acronym (i.e., an abbreviation spoken like a word). Acronyms differ from initialism abbreviations, which are pronounced using their individual letters.