Yards Abbreviation: How to Write yd

The yards abbreviation in one line: yd

The letters yd are taken from the first and last letters of yard. Like other short forms for units, it does not take an s for the plural, so a 50 yard line is "50 yd" and a single yard is "1 yd." Spoken, it turns back into the full word: "5 yd of cotton" is "five yards of cotton."

The same rule applies to its neighbors on the ruler. The feet abbreviation is ft, and the inches abbreviation is in, and neither adds an s. Keeping yd plural free makes measurements in a table line up neatly.

yd or yds, and period or no period

• yd: the preferred form in science, engineering, government and most style guides.
• yds: common in football box scores ("112 rushing yds") and some fabric and craft labels. It is not wrong in casual use, just less formal.
• yd. with a period: older printing and some recipes and patterns use it. Modern American style usually drops the period after unit abbreviations, except in. for inches, where the period avoids confusion with the word in.
• Space: leave a gap after the figure: 12 yd, never 12yd.

For a document with many measurements, choose one style and use it everywhere. Our how to abbreviate guide covers that habit in more depth.

Square yards and cubic yards

One square yard equals 9 square feet, because 3 ft by 3 ft is 9. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. Those two numbers help when you convert a room size or a garden bed into an order.

Where you will see yd in real life

• Sewing and quilting: fabric is cut and sold by the yard, often in halves and quarters: "1 1/2 yd."
• Football: stats count passing, rushing and receiving yards, and a field is 100 yd between goal lines.
• Golf: scorecards list the length of each hole in yards.
• Track and swimming: some US pools and older races use yard distances, such as a 25 yd pool.
• Construction and landscaping: concrete, dirt and stone are ordered by the cubic yard.

Yards next to feet, meters and miles

A quick conversion chart helps readers who think in other units:

• 1 yd = 3 ft = 36 in
• 1 yd = 0.9144 m, so 100 yd is a little over 91 m
• 1 m is about 1.094 yd
• 1 mile = 1,760 yd (see the miles abbreviation)

When you shop for fabric abroad, the bolt may be marked in meters instead. A meter is slightly longer than a yard, so a pattern that calls for 2 yd needs a bit less than 2 m.

Sentences that use yd

• "The pattern calls for 2 1/4 yd of lining."
• "He threw for 285 yds and two touchdowns."
• "Order 12 sq yd of carpet for the bedroom."
• "The truck holds up to 10 cu yd of gravel."
• "Hole 7 plays 410 yd from the back tees."

The common abbreviations list has many more units like this one.