What does PSV stand for? When the letters refer to the Dutch soccer club PSV Eindhoven, they stand for Philips Sport Vereniging, Dutch for "Philips Sports Club" or "Philips Sports Association." The club was set up in 1913 in the city of Eindhoven as a sports club for people who worked at the Philips electronics company, which was based there.
That link explains both the P and the club's long ties to the city. Outside soccer, PSV has other meanings. In the United Kingdom it is a public service vehicle, such as a bus or coach, and in medicine it can name a ventilator setting or an ultrasound reading.
Quick facts
Stands for
Philips Sport Vereniging (the soccer club)English meaning
Philips Sports Club or AssociationType
Initialism used as a club nameFounded
1913, in Eindhoven, the NetherlandsOther meanings
Public service vehicle (UK); pressure support ventilationHow to say it
P S V; in Dutch, roughly pay es vay
What does PSV stand for, word by word?
| Letter | Dutch word | English sense |
|---|---|---|
| P | Philips | The company whose staff founded the club |
| S | Sport | Sport |
| V | Vereniging | Club, society or association |
Vereniging is a common Dutch word for a members' club. Many Dutch sports clubs carry it in their names, often shortened to a V at the end of their initials. So PSV reads much like "Philips SC" would in English.
From company club to Eindhoven's team
The club began as a place for factory and office workers to play sports together. Over time its soccer side grew into a professional team that plays in the top Dutch league, the Eredivisie. Its home ground in Eindhoven carries the company name, and red and white are the club colors.
The full sports club also runs other sections beyond soccer, which is common for Dutch clubs with a long history. Today most fans and news reports simply say PSV or PSV Eindhoven, and many people who follow the team never think about what the letters mean.
On a sports score line: "PSV 2, visitors 1." Here PSV is the Eindhoven club. In a Dutch match report you might also see the nickname "de Boeren," the farmers, a playful name tied to the region around the city.
Other things PSV can mean
| Field | Stands for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| UK transport | Public service vehicle | A bus or coach that carries paying passengers |
| Medicine | Pressure support ventilation | A breathing machine setting that helps each breath |
| Medicine | Peak systolic velocity | An ultrasound measure of blood flow speed |
| Industry | Pressure safety valve | A valve that lets out pressure before a tank fails |
In British driving rules, a PSV licence is needed to drive buses and coaches. In a hospital or a factory manual, the letters point to the technical meanings. If the topic is sports, PSV is the Eindhoven club.
How to say and write PSV
English speakers say the letters, P S V. In Dutch the letters are said roughly as "pay es vay." Write PSV in capitals with no periods. Club writers often add the city, PSV Eindhoven, to make the meaning clear to readers outside the Netherlands. Because P is said "pee," English writers use "a PSV player" with a, not an.
Club names built from letters
PSV is one of many sports names that began as initials of a longer phrase. Others on this site include FIFA, the world soccer body, and UFC, a fighting league. For more company and team names that are really abbreviations, see the brand name acronyms page, which collects them, and read acronym vs abbreviation to see why PSV counts as an initialism.
Questions people ask
What does PSV mean in English?
PSV Eindhoven's initials stand for Philips Sport Vereniging, which translates to Philips Sports Club or Philips Sports Association.
Why is PSV named after Philips?
The club was founded in 1913 as a sports club for employees of the Philips company in Eindhoven. The company name stayed in the club's initials.
What does PSV stand for in the UK?
In British transport rules, PSV means public service vehicle, such as a bus or coach. Drivers need a special licence to carry paying passengers.
Is PSV Eindhoven a company team?
It started as one, but it is now a professional soccer club playing in the top Dutch league. The tie to its founding company is still seen in its name and its stadium.
What does PSV mean in medicine?
It can mean pressure support ventilation, a setting on a breathing machine, or peak systolic velocity, an ultrasound measure. A care team explains what it means in a given case.