BC
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Before Christ |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Religion, Geography & Places, Texting & Internet Slang, Education & Academia, Government & Politics |
BC has five meanings. The most common are Before Christ (religious term) and British Columbia (Canadian province and territory); it can also stand for Because, Boston College and Battalion chief.
Meanings of BC at a glance
| # | BC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Before Christ | Religion › Religious Term |
| 2 | British Columbia | Geography & Places › Canadian Province and Territory |
| 3 | Because | Texting & Internet Slang › Texting and Chat |
| 4 | Boston College | Education & Academia › University |
| 5 | Battalion chief | Government & Politics › Emergency Services |
1. Before Christ
Religion · Religious Term Abbreviations · also used in measurement
Label for years before the start of the Anno Domini era, counted backward so that larger numbers are earlier, as in 44 BC for the assassination of Julius Caesar. It is the counterpart of AD in the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
Example: Construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza began around 2560 BC.
Unlike AD, BC always follows the year. AP style writes B.C.; Chicago prefers BC without periods, and many publishers set it in small capitals. Because there is no year zero, the span from 1 BC to AD 1 is one year, a frequent source of arithmetic errors. Scholarly and interfaith writing often uses BCE instead.
2. British Columbia
Geography & Places · Canadian Province and Territory Abbreviations
Canada's westernmost province, which joined Confederation on July 20, 1871, on the promise of a transcontinental railway. Victoria, on Vancouver Island, is the capital, Vancouver is the largest city, and the province's postal codes begin with V.
Example: Ship to 1055 W Georgia St, Vancouver BC V6E 3P3, Canada.
Written B.C. with periods in Canadian news style and BC without them in postal addresses; both share the same letters. Context separates it from BC meaning before Christ in dates. Residents and businesses often say BC rather than British Columbia in speech.
3. Because
Texting & Internet Slang · Texting and Chat Abbreviations
Shortcut for "because" in texts, tweets and comments, usually lowercase. It introduces a reason, as in "bc I said so" or "late bc traffic."
Example: Leaving early bc my sister's flight lands at 6.
Also written b/c or bcuz. In dates BC means "before Christ," and in Canada it is the postal abbreviation for British Columbia, so a lowercase "bc" in the middle of a casual sentence signals the texting sense. Fine in informal chat; avoid it in formal writing.
4. Boston College
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Private Jesuit university founded in 1863, with its main campus in Chestnut Hill, west of Boston. Its Eagles compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and its Carroll School of Management and Lynch School of Education are well known.
Example: The BC football team plays rivals Notre Dame in what fans call the Holy War.
Despite its name, Boston College is a full university with graduate and professional schools. The Heights, its hilltop campus, is known for Collegiate Gothic architecture. Outside education, BC means "before Christ" in dates and British Columbia in Canada.
5. Battalion chief
Government & Politics · Emergency Services Abbreviations
Fire service officer who commands a battalion, a group of several fire stations, during a shift. Battalion chiefs often serve as incident commander at structure fires and major incidents.
Example: The BC arrived, assumed command and requested a second alarm.
Battalion chiefs typically rank above captains and below deputy or division chiefs, though structures vary. They often drive SUVs equipped as mobile command posts. BC is more widely known as "before Christ" in dates.
Related abbreviations
More religious term abbreviations
- AME – African Methodist Episcopal Church
- AMP – Amplified Bible
- AS – Alayhi as-salam (peace be upon him)
- ASV – American Standard Version
- BCE – Before the Common Era
- BCP – Book of Common Prayer
- BH – Baruch Hashem (Blessed is God)
- BHS – Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
See all 78 religious term abbreviations →