diff --git a/lib/communeHelpers.js b/lib/communeHelpers.js
index 1a80493..f2f02c4 100644
--- a/lib/communeHelpers.js
+++ b/lib/communeHelpers.js
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 const { initFields, initFormat } = require('./helpers');
 
+const abbreviations = {
+  'st': 'saint',
+  'ste': 'sainte',
+  'cgne': 'campagne',
+};
+
+
 const initCommuneFields = initFields({
   default: ['nom', 'code', 'codeDepartement', 'codeRegion', 'codesPostaux', 'population'],
   base: ['nom', 'code'],
@@ -10,4 +17,4 @@ const initCommuneFormat = initFormat({
   defaultGeometry: 'centre',
 });
 
-module.exports = { initCommuneFields, initCommuneFormat };
+module.exports = { initCommuneFields, initCommuneFormat, abbreviations };
diff --git a/lib/communes.js b/lib/communes.js
index 66ccb4e..bd536a9 100644
--- a/lib/communes.js
+++ b/lib/communes.js
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 const SearchableCollection = require('./searchableCollection');
+const { abbreviations } = require('./communeHelpers.js');
 
 const schema = {
   nom: {
     type: 'text',
     queryWith: 'nom',
     ref: 'code',
+    replacePatterns: abbreviations,
     boost: {
       population: (commune, score) => {
         if (commune.population) {
diff --git a/lib/searchableCollection/indexes/text.js b/lib/searchableCollection/indexes/text.js
index 9f9dc68..ae5cd8b 100644
--- a/lib/searchableCollection/indexes/text.js
+++ b/lib/searchableCollection/indexes/text.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const normalizeString = require('../normalizeString');
+const replaceAbbreviations = require('../replaceAbbreviations');
 const lunr = require('lunr');
 const { clone, sortBy } = require('lodash');
 
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ class TextIndex {
     if (!key) throw new Error('key is required');
     this._key = key;
     this._boost = options.boost || {};
+    this._replacePatterns = options.replacePatterns;
     const refKey = this._refKey = options.ref || 'id';
     this._refIndex = new Map();
     this._index = lunr(function () {
@@ -31,6 +33,11 @@ class TextIndex {
 
   find(terms, options = {}) {
     let boosted = false;
+
+    if (this._replacePatterns) {
+      terms = replaceAbbreviations(terms, this._replacePatterns);
+    }
+
     const results = this._index.search(terms)
       .map(result => {
         const item = clone(this._refIndex.get(result.ref));
diff --git a/lib/searchableCollection/replaceAbbreviations.js b/lib/searchableCollection/replaceAbbreviations.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1aae9ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/searchableCollection/replaceAbbreviations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+function replaceAbbreviations(terms, patterns) {
+  if (!terms.includes(' ') && !terms.includes('-')) return terms;
+
+  return terms
+    .toLocaleLowerCase()
+    .replace(/-/g, ' ')
+    .split(' ')
+    .map(token => token in patterns ? patterns[token] : token)
+    .join(' ');
+}
+
+module.exports = replaceAbbreviations;
diff --git a/test/replaceAbbreviations.js b/test/replaceAbbreviations.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f40a8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/replaceAbbreviations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/* eslint-env mocha */
+const expect = require('expect.js');
+const replaceAbbreviations = require('../lib/searchableCollection/replaceAbbreviations');
+
+describe('replaceAbbreviations()', function () {
+  const abbreviations = {
+    'st': 'saint',
+    'ste': 'sainte',
+    'cgne': 'campagne',
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(done => {
+    done();
+  });
+
+  describe('Words separated by spaces', function () {
+    it('should replace Pattern', function () {
+      const str = 'st louis';
+      const out = 'saint louis';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(out);
+    });
+
+    it('should replace Pattern', function () {
+      const str = 'marcilly la cgne';
+      const out = 'marcilly la campagne';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(out);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Words separated by dashes', function () {
+    it('should replace Pattern', function () {
+      const str = 'st-louis';
+      const out = 'saint louis';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(out);
+    });
+
+    it('should replace Pattern', function () {
+      const str = 'marcilly-la-cgne';
+      const out = 'marcilly la campagne';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(out);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('search contained only one word', () => {
+    it('should not replace Pattern', () => {
+      const str = 'st';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(str);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Pattern is contained in a word', () => {
+    it('should not replace Pattern', () => {
+      const str = 'le stinx';
+
+      expect(replaceAbbreviations(str, abbreviations)).to.equal(str);
+    });
+  });
+
+});