* Short vowels: Short vowels have a short, clipped sound (like the "a" in "cat" or the "i" in "pig").
* Long vowels: Long vowels have a longer, drawn-out sound (like the "a" in "cake" or the "e" in "tree").
In the word "panic", the vowel "a" has a short sound, similar to the "a" in "hat".
Therefore, yes, "panic" is a short vowel word.