How To Internet & Network What Does DW Stand For? DW is a (usually affectionate) internet slang term Share Pin Email Print Cultura RM Exclusive/Sofie Delauw/Getty Images Internet & Network Basics Guides & Tutorials Installing & Upgrading Tips & Tricks Key Concepts What Are Bitcoins? by Paul Gil A certified computer instructor with project management experience in web development. Updated May 06, 2017 DW is an acronym that stands for "dear wife." It is one of the many internet shorthand terms that first appeared in forums but then spread to instant messages, email, smartphone text messages, social media sites and—in some cases—to speech. Meanings of DW DW is a term of written digital affection for "dear wife" or "darling wife." It is used by male posters on the internet when referring to their spouses. The "dear" is sometimes interpreted as sarcastic, in which case you'd need to know the sender's situation to distinguish between the meanings, unless it is obvious in the usage. Examples of DW Usage I need to go pick up my DW from work, brb.My DW made angel food cake for my birthday.DW and I are headed to Florida for a week.My former DW is driving me crazy! Other Relationship Acronyms Other family acronyms you may run across on the internet include: DS (Dear Son)DD (Dear Daughter)DH (Dear Husband)DB (Dear Brother) Other common relationship acronyms on the internet are: BF (Boyfriend)GF (Girlfriend)BFF (Best Friends, Forever) When to Use Internet Acronyms DW, like other internet acronyms, is appropriate for use in forums, social media sites, emails, personal texts and casual messages between family and friends. However, don't use internet acronyms in business communications. The recipient may not understand the meaning, and the usage of unfamiliar acronyms is considered unprofessional in business communications. Some internet acronyms have crossed into our spoken language. You may hear a teen mention her BFF or a Mom refer to her daughter as her DD in a conversation. These internet acronyms and others have joined the ubiquitous LOL (laughing out loud) and OMG (oh my god) in our spoken language. Related articles: Glossary of Texting Abbreviations What Does LOL Mean? The Most Common Acronyms Used Online in 2016 What Is TLDR? What Does BRT Stand For? Continue Reading