The acronym SOA stands for Service-Oriented Architecture. It is a software design principle aimed at enabling different services to communicate with each other over a network. In SOA, services are designed to be independent, reusable, and stateless, allowing for better integration and flexibility. This architecture supports the development of complex applications using a combination of services that can be easily modified or replaced. It enhances scalability and facilitates interoperability between diverse systems, making it a popular approach in modern software development practices.