What does “CYOA” mean? If you were alive in the early 80s, then you would be most familiar with this acronym or at least be familiar with the origin of this acronym. If you have seen this acronym used and were wondering what it meant, then you have come to the right place. You will not only find the meaning here, but you will also find information about its origin and some alternative meanings. You will also see some example conversations illustrating the proper usage of this term in everyday context to help you better understand its meaning. Lastly, you will discover some other ways words or phrases that you could use in its place, if possible, to mean the same thing.
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“CYOA” Meaning
What Does “CYOA” Mean?
This acronym commonly represents the phrase “choose your own adventure.” This is a popular form of fan fiction where the reader of a book or the player of a game gets to decide the path that his or her character follows throughout the story.
Origin of “CYOA “
The “choose your own adventure” genre began in 1979 with a series of books that were published by Bantam Books. The books were not popular with readers until they were given to libraries. When kids discovered them, their popularity grew. They are said to have influenced popular games such as Dungeons & Dragons and from there influenced the modern role-playing games that we see today.
Other Meanings
The acronym is also said to represent the phrase “cover your own ass.” The only other known meaning is used to represent the “Columbia Yacht Owner’s Association” or the “Caribbean Yacht Owner’s Association.”
Conversation Examples
A text message exchange between two friends.
- Friend 1: Did you ever have the cyoa books growing up?
- Friend 2: Yes! I had a bunch of them! My dad always bought us these types of books when he went on a trip or something.
- Friend 1: I had a bunch of them too. They were so much fun!
- Friend 2: I wonder what ever happened to those books.
An online conversation between two Twitter users.
- User 1: (posts a picture of a book) OMGosh! Look what my mom and I found in the garage today.
- User 2: Wow! A cyoa book! I have not seen one of those in ages. Now that brings back some memories.
Synonyms of CYOA
Since this phrase represents an official title of a genre of fan fiction, there are not alternative ways to refer to it and still convey the same meaning.
CYOA Meaning Infographic
