diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 86cb67592d..ab7d5f7fc1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -46,3 +46,6 @@ yalc.lock
 
 # vim swap files
 *.swp
+
+# local logs
+logs
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/directives.md b/docs/directives.md
index a3fc16c7db..1438124a52 100644
--- a/docs/directives.md
+++ b/docs/directives.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ label: directives_list
 
 To learn more about the syntax and usage of the directives, please refer to the [](#syntax:directives) section of the documentation.
 
+:::{myst:directive} abbreviations
+:::
+
 :::{myst:directive} admonition
 :::
 
diff --git a/docs/glossaries-and-terms.md b/docs/glossaries-and-terms.md
index 0afd315dc5..ce5d6413d6 100644
--- a/docs/glossaries-and-terms.md
+++ b/docs/glossaries-and-terms.md
@@ -228,3 +228,23 @@ abbreviations:
 
 We use ML to parse HTML.
 ```
+
+### Generate a list of abbreviations
+
+The `{abbreviations}` directive displays a definition list of known abbreviates. The entries are sorted alphabetically by abbreviation key.
+
+In this context `known abbreviations` means that abbreviations are pulled from the projects `yml` and the frontmatter from available pages at build time.
+
+Example snippet:
+
+::::{dropdown} Show abbreviations used in these docs
+:::{abbreviations}
+:::
+::::
+
+:::{note} Order of abbreviations
+Page-level abbreviates to will overwrite project-level abbreviations.
+:::
+
+Entries with `null` values are not included in the generated list.
+
diff --git a/packages/myst-cli/src/process/mdast.ts b/packages/myst-cli/src/process/mdast.ts
index 24602edd2f..db180515e8 100644
--- a/packages/myst-cli/src/process/mdast.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-cli/src/process/mdast.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   checkLinkTextTransform,
   indexIdentifierPlugin,
   buildTocTransform,
+  abbreviationsListTransform,
 } from 'myst-transforms';
 import { unified } from 'unified';
 import { select, selectAll } from 'unist-util-select';
@@ -98,6 +99,16 @@ const htmlHandlers = {
   },
 };
 
+function collectAbbreviations(session: ISession, pageReferenceStates: ReferenceState[]) {
+  const cache = castSession(session);
+  const abbreviations: Record<string, string | null> = {};
+  pageReferenceStates.forEach((state) => {
+    const pageAbbreviations = cache.$getMdast(state.filePath)?.post?.frontmatter?.abbreviations;
+    if (pageAbbreviations) Object.assign(abbreviations, pageAbbreviations);
+  });
+  return abbreviations;
+}
+
 export type TransformFn = (
   session: ISession,
   opts: Parameters<typeof transformMdast>[1],
@@ -344,6 +355,9 @@ export async function postProcessMdast(
       projectSlug,
       mdastPost.slug,
     );
+    abbreviationsListTransform(mdast, {
+      abbreviations: collectAbbreviations(session, pageReferenceStates),
+    });
   }
   // NOTE: This is doing things in place, we should potentially make this a different state?
   const transformers = [
diff --git a/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.spec.ts b/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c0c8ef9902
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
+import type { DirectiveData } from 'myst-common';
+import { abbreviationsDirective } from './abbreviations.js';
+import { defaultDirectives } from './index.js';
+
+function run(data: Partial<DirectiveData> = {}) {
+	return abbreviationsDirective.run!({
+		name: 'abbreviations',
+		node: {} as any,
+		options: {},
+		...data,
+	});
+}
+
+function log(arg: any) {
+	console.dir(arg, { depth: null });
+	return arg
+}
+describe('abbreviations directive', () => {
+	test('creates a placeholder node', () => {
+		expect(run()).toEqual([{ type: 'abbreviations', children: [] }]);
+	});
+
+	test('wraps argument content in a heading', () => {
+		expect(run({ arg: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Abbreviations' }] })).toEqual([
+			{
+				type: 'abbreviations',
+				children: [
+					{
+						type: 'heading',
+						depth: 2,
+						enumerated: false,
+						children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Abbreviations' }],
+					},
+				],
+			},
+		]);
+	});
+
+	test('preserves heading arguments', () => {
+		const heading = {
+			type: 'heading',
+			depth: 3,
+			children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Terms' }],
+		};
+		expect(run({ arg: [heading] })).toEqual([{ type: 'abbreviations', children: [heading] }]);
+	});
+
+	test('preserves common directive options', () => {
+		expect(
+			run({
+				options: {
+					class: 'compact',
+					label: 'abbreviations-list',
+				},
+			}),
+		).toEqual([
+			{
+				type: 'abbreviations',
+				children: [],
+				class: 'compact',
+				label: 'abbreviations-list',
+				identifier: 'abbreviations-list',
+			},
+		]);
+	});
+
+	test('is registered by default', () => {
+		expect(defaultDirectives).toContain(abbreviationsDirective);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.ts b/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47f02e0786
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-directives/src/abbreviations.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import type { DirectiveData, DirectiveSpec, GenericNode } from 'myst-common';
+import { addCommonDirectiveOptions, commonDirectiveOptions } from './utils.js';
+
+export const abbreviationsDirective: DirectiveSpec = {
+  name: 'abbreviations',
+  doc: 'Inserts an alphabetized list of known abbreviations, collected the pages and project.',
+  arg: {
+    type: 'myst',
+    doc: 'Heading to be included with the abbreviations list',
+  },
+  options: {
+    ...commonDirectiveOptions('abbreviations'),
+  },
+  run(data: DirectiveData): GenericNode[] {
+    const children: GenericNode[] = [];
+    if (data.arg) {
+      const parsedArg = data.arg as GenericNode[];
+      if (parsedArg[0]?.type === 'heading') {
+        children.push(...parsedArg);
+      } else {
+        children.push({
+          type: 'heading',
+          depth: 2,
+          enumerated: false,
+          children: parsedArg,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    const abbreviations = { type: 'abbreviations', children };
+    addCommonDirectiveOptions(data, abbreviations);
+    return [abbreviations];
+  },
+};
diff --git a/packages/myst-directives/src/index.ts b/packages/myst-directives/src/index.ts
index 28ae60aa5e..5de36011b4 100644
--- a/packages/myst-directives/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-directives/src/index.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { includeDirective } from './include.js';
 import { indexDirective, genIndexDirective } from './indices.js';
 import { csvTableDirective, tableDirective, listTableDirective } from './table.js';
 import { asideDirective } from './aside.js';
+import { abbreviationsDirective } from './abbreviations.js';
 import { glossaryDirective } from './glossary.js';
 import { mathDirective } from './math.js';
 import { mdastDirective } from './mdast.js';
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ export const defaultDirectives = [
   tableDirective,
   listTableDirective,
   asideDirective,
+  abbreviationsDirective,
   glossaryDirective,
   mathDirective,
   mdastDirective,
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ export { includeDirective } from './include.js';
 export { indexDirective, genIndexDirective } from './indices.js';
 export { csvTableDirective, listTableDirective, tableDirective } from './table.js';
 export { asideDirective } from './aside.js';
+export { abbreviationsDirective } from './abbreviations.js';
 export { mathDirective } from './math.js';
 export { mdastDirective } from './mdast.js';
 export { mermaidDirective } from './mermaid.js';
diff --git a/packages/myst-transforms/src/abbreviations.ts b/packages/myst-transforms/src/abbreviations.ts
index 6aec1dab0e..55133aca73 100644
--- a/packages/myst-transforms/src/abbreviations.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-transforms/src/abbreviations.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Plugin } from 'unified';
-import type { GenericParent } from 'myst-common';
+import type { GenericNode, GenericParent } from 'myst-common';
 import { toText } from 'myst-common';
 import { selectAll } from 'unist-util-select';
 import type { Abbreviation, Text } from 'myst-spec';
@@ -80,3 +80,44 @@ export const abbreviationPlugin: Plugin<[Options], GenericParent, GenericParent>
   (opts) => (tree) => {
     abbreviationTransform(tree, opts);
   };
+
+export function abbreviationListChildren(abbreviations?: Record<string, string | null>) {
+  // turns an abbreviations object into a clean, sorted list of abbreviation entries.
+  const entries = Object.entries(abbreviations ?? {})
+    .filter((entry): entry is [string, string] => !!entry[1]) // Keeps only entries where the value exists
+    .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b)); // Sort alphabetically by abbreviation key.
+
+  if (!entries.length) return [];
+
+  return [
+    {
+      type: 'definitionList',
+      children: entries
+        .map(([abbr, title]) => [
+          {
+            type: 'definitionTerm',
+            children: [{ type: 'text', value: abbr }],
+          },
+          {
+            type: 'definitionDescription',
+            children: [
+              {
+                type: 'paragraph',
+                children: [{ type: 'text', value: title }],
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        ])
+        .flat(),
+    },
+  ];
+}
+
+export function abbreviationsListTransform(mdast: GenericParent, opts?: Options) {
+  const nodes = selectAll('abbreviations', mdast) as GenericNode[];
+  nodes.forEach((node) => {
+    node.type = 'block';
+    node.data = { ...(node.data ?? {}), part: 'abbreviations' };
+    node.children = [...(node.children ?? []), ...abbreviationListChildren(opts?.abbreviations)];
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/myst-transforms/src/index.ts b/packages/myst-transforms/src/index.ts
index ce91632c47..2481492a19 100644
--- a/packages/myst-transforms/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-transforms/src/index.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ export {
 } from './targets.js';
 export { joinGatesPlugin, joinGatesTransform } from './joinGates.js';
 export { glossaryPlugin, glossaryTransform } from './glossary.js';
-export { abbreviationPlugin, abbreviationTransform } from './abbreviations.js';
+export {
+  abbreviationPlugin,
+  abbreviationTransform,
+  abbreviationsListTransform,
+} from './abbreviations.js';
 export { includeDirectivePlugin, includeDirectiveTransform } from './include.js';
 export { containerChildrenPlugin, containerChildrenTransform } from './containers.js';
 export { headingDepthPlugin, headingDepthTransform } from './headings.js';
diff --git a/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.spec.ts b/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8580ed19f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import yaml from 'js-yaml';
+import { abbreviationsListTransform } from '../src';
+import { abbreviationListChildren } from '../src/abbreviations';
+
+type TestFile = {
+	cases: TestCase[];
+};
+type TestCase = {
+	title: string;
+	before: any;
+	after: any;
+	opts?: {
+		abbreviations?: Record<string, string | null>;
+	};
+};
+
+const fixtures = path.join('tests', 'abbreviations-list.yml');
+const testYaml = fs.readFileSync(fixtures).toString();
+const cases = (yaml.load(testYaml) as TestFile).cases;
+
+describe('abbreviationListChildren', () => {
+	test('returns no children without abbreviations', () => {
+		expect(abbreviationListChildren()).toEqual([]);
+		expect(abbreviationListChildren({})).toEqual([]);
+	});
+
+	test('creates a sorted definition list and omits null values', () => {
+		expect(
+			abbreviationListChildren({
+				MyST: 'Markedly Structured Text',
+				SHRILL: null,
+				API: 'Application Programming Interface',
+			}),
+		).toEqual([
+			{
+				type: 'definitionList',
+				children: [
+					{
+						type: 'definitionTerm',
+						children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'API' }],
+					},
+					{
+						type: 'definitionDescription',
+						children: [
+							{
+								type: 'paragraph',
+								children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Application Programming Interface' }],
+							},
+						],
+					},
+					{
+						type: 'definitionTerm',
+						children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'MyST' }],
+					},
+					{
+						type: 'definitionDescription',
+						children: [
+							{
+								type: 'paragraph',
+								children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Markedly Structured Text' }],
+							},
+						],
+					},
+				],
+			},
+		]);
+	});
+});
+
+describe('abbreviations list', () => {
+	test.each(cases.map((c): [string, TestCase] => [c.title, c]))(
+		'%s',
+		(_, { before, after, opts }) => {
+			abbreviationsListTransform(before, opts);
+			expect(yaml.dump(before)).toEqual(yaml.dump(after));
+		},
+	);
+});
diff --git a/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.yml b/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2f4cea07a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-transforms/tests/abbreviations-list.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+cases:
+  - title: simple generated list
+    opts:
+      abbreviations:
+        MyST: Markedly Structured Text
+        API: Application Programming Interface
+    before:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: abbreviations
+          children: []
+    after:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: block
+          children:
+            - type: definitionList
+              children:
+                - type: definitionTerm
+                  children:
+                    - type: text
+                      value: API
+                - type: definitionDescription
+                  children:
+                    - type: paragraph
+                      children:
+                        - type: text
+                          value: Application Programming Interface
+                - type: definitionTerm
+                  children:
+                    - type: text
+                      value: MyST
+                - type: definitionDescription
+                  children:
+                    - type: paragraph
+                      children:
+                        - type: text
+                          value: Markedly Structured Text
+          data:
+            part: abbreviations
+  - title: null abbreviations omitted
+    opts:
+      abbreviations:
+        HR: Heart Rate
+        SHRILL: null
+    before:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: abbreviations
+          children: []
+    after:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: block
+          children:
+            - type: definitionList
+              children:
+                - type: definitionTerm
+                  children:
+                    - type: text
+                      value: HR
+                - type: definitionDescription
+                  children:
+                    - type: paragraph
+                      children:
+                        - type: text
+                          value: Heart Rate
+          data:
+            part: abbreviations
+  - title: heading preserved
+    opts:
+      abbreviations:
+        API: Application Programming Interface
+    before:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: abbreviations
+          children:
+            - type: heading
+              depth: 2
+              enumerated: false
+              children:
+                - type: text
+                  value: Abbreviations
+    after:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: block
+          children:
+            - type: heading
+              depth: 2
+              enumerated: false
+              children:
+                - type: text
+                  value: Abbreviations
+            - type: definitionList
+              children:
+                - type: definitionTerm
+                  children:
+                    - type: text
+                      value: API
+                - type: definitionDescription
+                  children:
+                    - type: paragraph
+                      children:
+                        - type: text
+                          value: Application Programming Interface
+          data:
+            part: abbreviations
+  - title: no abbreviations
+    opts:
+      abbreviations: {}
+    before:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: abbreviations
+          children: []
+    after:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: block
+          children: []
+          data:
+            part: abbreviations
+  - title: common options stay on wrapper
+    opts:
+      abbreviations:
+        API: Application Programming Interface
+    before:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: abbreviations
+          label: abbreviations-list
+          identifier: abbreviations-list
+          class: compact
+          children: []
+    after:
+      type: root
+      children:
+        - type: block
+          label: abbreviations-list
+          identifier: abbreviations-list
+          class: compact
+          children:
+            - type: definitionList
+              children:
+                - type: definitionTerm
+                  children:
+                    - type: text
+                      value: API
+                - type: definitionDescription
+                  children:
+                    - type: paragraph
+                      children:
+                        - type: text
+                          value: Application Programming Interface
+          data:
+            part: abbreviations
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/README.md b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84b4e8b053
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# Abbreviations Directive Sample
+
+This fixture exercises the `{abbreviations}` directive during local development.
+
+Current content files:
+
+- `index.md`: directive on the landing page, plus inline abbreviation text.
+- `page-1.md`: page-level `AST` abbreviation and directive options.
+- `page-2.md`: page-level `GPU` abbreviation without a directive.
+- `page-3.md`: multiple page-level abbreviations without a directive.
+
+`README.md` is intentionally not listed in `project.toc`, so it is not built as a page.
+
+The current `myst.yml` was generated with:
+
+```sh
+bun ../../dist/myst.cjs init --project --site --write-toc
+```
+
+Review `myst.yml` after regenerating it. The generated file may need manual edits for:
+
+- `project.abbreviations`, if you want project-level definitions such as `API`, `CLI`, or `MyST`.
+- `project.toc`, if you want to keep `README.md` excluded or reorder pages.
+- `site.template`, if the generated template differs from the fixture expectation.
+
+Expected behavior:
+
+- Pages with `{abbreviations}` render a generated definition list.
+- The generated list includes non-null abbreviations collected from the project pages.
+- Null-valued abbreviations are omitted.
+- `page-1.md` preserves the directive `label` and `class` metadata on the generated wrapper block.
+
+## Local Testing
+
+From the repo root, rebuild local packages:
+
+```sh
+cd mystmd
+bun run build -- --force
+```
+
+Run the local built CLI against the sample fixture:
+
+```sh
+cd packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive
+bun ../../dist/myst.cjs build --ci
+```
+
+Inspect generated page JSON:
+
+```sh
+ls _build/site/content
+rg '"part": "abbreviations"|definitionList|AST|GPU|Algo|SA' _build/site/content
+```
+
+Validate the placeholder-to-definition-list transform directly:
+
+```sh
+cd mystmd/packages/myst-transforms
+bun test tests/abbreviations-list.spec.ts
+```
+
+Run the existing inline abbreviation regression:
+
+```sh
+cd mystmd/packages/myst-transforms
+bun test tests/abbreviations.spec.ts
+```
+
+Run the focused end-to-end fixture test:
+
+```sh
+cd mystmd
+bun test packages/mystmd/tests/endToEnd.spec.ts -t "Abbreviations directive site build"
+```
+
+The focused end-to-end case should stay aligned with `project.toc`; it checks that site JSON is generated for `index.md`, `page-1.md`, `page-2.md`, and `page-3.md`.
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/index.md b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9efea51efc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Abbreviations Directive (index.md)
+
+This page uses API, CLI, and MyST so the existing inline abbreviation transform
+can still be checked alongside the new directive.
+
+```{abbreviations} Abbreviations
+```
+
+SHRILL is configured with a null expansion and should not appear in the
+generated abbreviation list.
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/myst.yml b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/myst.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b37e11b43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/myst.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# See docs at: https://mystmd.org/guide/frontmatter
+version: 1
+project:
+  id: 8e548486-6c71-442a-8e4e-33347b477f09
+  title: Abbreviations Directive Sample
+  abbreviations:
+    API: Application Programming Interface
+    CLI: Command Line Interface
+    MyST: Markedly Structured Text
+  # description:
+  # keywords: []
+  # authors: []
+  github: https://github.com/jupyter-book/mystmd
+  # To autogenerate a Table of Contents, run "myst init --write-toc"
+  toc:
+    # Auto-generated by `myst init --write-toc`
+    - file: index.md
+    - file: page-1.md
+    - file: page-2.md
+    - file: page-3.md
+
+site:
+  template: book-theme
+  # options:
+  #   favicon: favicon.ico
+  #   logo: site_logo.png
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-1.md b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-1.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8a35d2062f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+abbreviations:
+  AST: Abstract Syntax Tree
+---
+
+# Page-Level Abbreviations
+
+This page uses AST plus project abbreviations like API and MyST.
+
+```{abbreviations} New Abbrevs
+:label: abbreviations-list
+:class: compact
+```
+
+I expect to see something related to text like API or CLI from the project.
+Here's some text with GPU when it was defined in [](:page-2)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-2.md b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-2.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2394a91346
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-2.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+abbreviations:
+  GPU: Graphics Processing Unit
+---
+
+# Page 2
+
+This is the second page on the micro-site
+
+Here's some text with GPU.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-3.md b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-3.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ca9d2b009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/abbreviations-directive/page-3.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+abbreviations:
+  Fl: Fruity Loops
+  Algo: Algorithm
+  SA: South Africa
+---
+
+# Page 3
+
+This is random content for page 3 and here we talk about Fl, Algo and SA.
diff --git a/packages/mystmd/tests/exports.yml b/packages/mystmd/tests/exports.yml
index 7180065189..f706701810 100644
--- a/packages/mystmd/tests/exports.yml
+++ b/packages/mystmd/tests/exports.yml
@@ -199,6 +199,14 @@ cases:
         content: outputs/basic-site-config.json
       - path: basic-site/_build/site/myst.xref.json
         content: outputs/basic-site-myst.xref.json
+  - title: Abbreviations directive site build
+    cwd: abbreviations-directive
+    command: myst build
+    outputs:
+      - path: abbreviations-directive/_build/site/content/index.json
+      - path: abbreviations-directive/_build/site/content/page-1.json
+      - path: abbreviations-directive/_build/site/content/page-2.json
+      - path: abbreviations-directive/_build/site/content/page-3.json
   - title: Alternate config file
     cwd: alternate-config
     command: myst --config foo.yml build