nouns - What's the difference between "abbreviation" and "abbreviature"?

What's the difference between these two words, abbreviation and abbreviature?

Answer

"Abbreviature" appears to have two purposes: an outdated synonym of "abbreviation" and an entirely additional meaning:

An abridgment; a compendium or abstract.

"This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. - Jeremy Taylor"

(wiktionary)

So the current difference is that "abbreviature" applies to large bodies of works or an entire subject; "abbreviation" is more applicable to words and phrases.