DC
Abbreviation with 15 meanings
| Stands for | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 15 |
| Categories | Geography & Places, Science & Engineering, Arts & Entertainment, Medical, Business & Finance, Texting & Internet Slang, Sports, Government & Politics, Technology & Computing, Military, Religion |
| Also written | D.C. |
DC has 15 meanings. The most common are District of Columbia (US state) and Direct current (electronics & electrical); it can also stand for DC Comics, Doctor of Chiropractic, Distribution center, Disconnect and Defensive coordinator, plus 8 more listed below.
Meanings of DC at a glance
| # | DC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | Geography & Places › US State |
| 2 | Direct current | Science & Engineering › Electronics & Electrical |
| 3 | DC Comics | Arts & Entertainment › Publishing and Book |
| 4 | Doctor of Chiropractic | Medical › Healthcare Credential |
| 5 | Distribution center | Business & Finance › Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade |
| 6 | Disconnect | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 7 | Defensive coordinator | Sports › American Football |
| 8 | Detective constable | Government & Politics › Police |
| 9 | Domain controller | Technology & Computing › Computer |
| 10 | Defined contribution plan | Business & Finance › Personal Finance |
| 11 | Dear children | Texting & Internet Slang › Parenting Forum |
| 12 | Difficulty Class | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 13 | Damage Controlman | Military › US Navy and Coast Guard Rating |
| 14 | Da capo | Arts & Entertainment › Music |
| 15 | Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul | Religion › Religious Title |
1. District of Columbia
Geography & Places · US State Abbreviations
Federal district that serves as the US capital and is not part of any state. Created under the Residence Act of 1790 and the seat of government since 1800, it has about 700,000 residents, a nonvoting delegate in the House and three presidential electors under the 23rd Amendment (1961).
Example: The agency asks applicants to send paper forms to its Washington, DC 20001 mailroom.
AP style writes D.C. with periods and uses it after Washington when the city could be confused with the state; Chicago style and the USPS write DC. The land came entirely from Maryland after Virginia's portion was returned in 1846. The surrounding region is nicknamed the DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia), and DC also means direct current.
2. Direct current
Science & Engineering · Electronics & Electrical Abbreviations
Electric current that flows steadily in one direction, as supplied by batteries, solar panels and the power adapters of phones and laptops. Nearly all electronic circuits run internally on DC, so devices plugged into AC outlets convert it with a rectifier and power supply.
Example: The car's 12 V DC socket can charge a phone through a USB adapter.
Thomas Edison's first commercial power station, Pearl Street in Manhattan (1882), distributed DC, and Con Edison did not end its last DC service in New York until 2007. DC is making a comeback in high-voltage transmission (HVDC), data centers, EV fast charging and solar-plus-battery systems. On equipment labels it is often marked with a solid line over a dashed line. In US geography DC means the District of Columbia.
3. DC Comics
Arts & Entertainment · Publishing and Book Abbreviations
American comic book publisher of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League, one of the two largest US comics companies with Marvel. Its characters appear in films, TV series and games.
Example: DC announced a new Batman series by an award-winning creative team.
"DC" comes from Detective Comics, the series in which Batman debuted in issue No. 27 (1939), so "DC Comics" literally means "Detective Comics Comics". The company was founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications, published Superman's debut in Action Comics No. 1 (1938), and has been part of Warner Bros. since 1969. It officially became DC Comics in 1977.
4. Doctor of Chiropractic
Medical · Healthcare Credential Abbreviations · also used in education
Professional degree for chiropractors, who focus on musculoskeletal problems, especially of the spine, using manual adjustment and other conservative treatments. Programs usually last about four years after undergraduate prerequisites.
Example: Low back pain: seeing Dr. Hale, DC, twice weekly for adjustments.
Chiropractors are licensed in all 50 states after passing National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exams. Programs are accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. Chiropractors do not prescribe medication. In everyday English DC also means Washington, DC, and direct current.
5. Distribution center
Business & Finance · Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade Abbreviations
Warehouse designed for rapid throughput, receiving goods from suppliers and shipping them on to stores, other facilities or customers, rather than storing them for long periods.
Example: The new DC serves 120 stores across the Southeast.
Distribution centers may use cross-docking, transferring goods from inbound to outbound trucks with little or no storage. In retail, a DC supplies stores, while a fulfillment center ships orders directly to consumers. The letters most commonly refer to Washington, D.C.
6. Disconnect
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Means a player has lost their connection to a game server, voluntarily or not, as in "jungler dc'd" or "sorry, I dc'd." Used as a verb and a noun.
Example: Our support dc'd at minute ten, so it's four versus five now.
Frequent disconnects are a major frustration in online games, and competitive games may penalize repeated DCs. In the US, DC most often means Washington, D.C., and in comics DC Comics, contexts that make the gaming sense clear.
7. Defensive coordinator
Sports · American Football Abbreviations
Assistant coach in charge of the defensive scheme, the game plan and in-game calls such as blitzes and coverages. The DC radios calls to the defensive player wearing the green-dot helmet.
Example: The new DC is switching the team from a 3-4 to a 4-3 front.
Buddy Ryan, architect of the 46 defense for the 1985 Bears, is one of the most famous coordinators in NFL history. Outside football, DC usually means Washington, DC, or direct current in electricity.
8. Detective constable
Government & Politics · Police Abbreviations
Most junior detective rank in UK police forces, equal in rank to a uniformed police constable. DCs carry out investigative tasks such as interviewing suspects, gathering evidence and preparing case files.
Example: DC Hughes from the local CID will call you to arrange a statement.
Constables usually apply to become detectives after their probationary period and must pass a national investigators' exam. Some forces offer direct-entry detective programs. The letters are far more widely known as the abbreviation for the District of Columbia.
9. Domain controller
Technology & Computing · Computer Abbreviations
Windows server that runs Active Directory Domain Services, authenticating users and computers and enforcing security policies for a domain. Organizations run at least two so that sign-ins keep working if one fails.
Example: Nobody could log in this morning because both DCs at the branch office were down.
Domain controllers replicate the directory database among themselves, and certain special duties, known as FSMO roles, are held by specific DCs. Before Windows 2000, Windows NT networks used one primary and several backup domain controllers (PDC and BDC). Outside IT, DC far more often means the District of Columbia or direct current.
10. Defined contribution plan
Business & Finance · Personal Finance Abbreviations
Retirement plan such as a 401(k), 403(b) or TSP in which the contribution is fixed but the eventual benefit depends on investment returns. Each worker has an individual account and carries the investment and longevity risk.
Example: Most private employers now offer only a DC plan, so retirement income depends on how much employees save.
Usually written "DC plan" to avoid confusion with Washington, D.C. The shift from DB to DC plans moved market and longevity risk from employers to individuals, which helped fuel the growth of target-date funds and retirement income annuities.
11. Dear children
Texting & Internet Slang · Parenting Forum Abbreviations
Collective code for all of the poster's children, as in "DC are 3 and 7." Used mostly on British forums such as Mumsnet when talking about the whole family.
Example: Taking the DC to the coast for half-term, any tips for rainy days?
Sometimes written DCs. It saves listing each child individually. In the US, DC overwhelmingly refers to Washington, D.C., and in comics to DC Comics, so the parenting context matters.
12. Difficulty Class
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Target number a player must meet or beat on a d20 roll to succeed at a task in Dungeons & Dragons, such as picking a lock or resisting a spell. Set by the rules or the game master.
Example: The lock is a DC 15, so roll with your thieves' tools.
Introduced with the d20 system of D&D's third edition in 2000. Typical DCs in fifth edition range from 5 (very easy) to 30 (nearly impossible). In online gaming DC means disconnect, and in comics DC Comics.
13. Damage Controlman
Military · US Navy and Coast Guard Rating Abbreviations
Sailors trained in shipboard firefighting, flood control, chemical, biological and radiological defense and ship stability, who maintain damage-control equipment and train the entire crew in damage-control drills.
Example: DC2 Ellis ran the main space fire drill and timed each repair locker team.
Every sailor learns basic damage control, but DCs lead the effort and manage firefighting and dewatering equipment. The rating's importance was underscored by shipboard fires and battle damage in World War II and later incidents such as the USS Cole bombing in 2000.
14. Da capo (D.C.)
Arts & Entertainment · Music Abbreviations
Instruction in sheet music to repeat from the beginning of the piece. Variants include D.C. al Fine (repeat from the start and end at "Fine") and D.C. al Coda (repeat, then jump to the coda).
Example: At the end of the trio, play D.C. al Fine and stop at the double bar.
Italian for "from the head". Da capo arias, with an A-B-A structure, were central to Baroque opera, and singers were expected to ornament the repeated section. In geography DC means the District of Columbia.
15. Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Catholic society of apostolic life founded in Paris in 1633 by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac to serve the poor directly rather than living in an enclosed convent. It is one of the largest communities of Catholic women in the world.
Example: Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, led the Catholic Health Association for many years.
The sisters were famous for their large white winged headdress, the cornette, which they gave up in 1964. Members take simple annual vows rather than perpetual vows. DC most often means the District of Columbia or direct current outside church contexts.
Related abbreviations
More US state abbreviations
- AZ – Arizona
- CA – California
- CO – Colorado
- CT – Connecticut
- DE – Delaware
- FL – Florida
- GA – Georgia
- HI – Hawaii
See all 51 US state abbreviations →
More electronics & electrical abbreviations
- CMOS – Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
- CPLD – Complex programmable logic device
- DAC – Digital-to-analog converter
- DIP – Dual in-line package
- DMM – Digital multimeter
- DPDT – Double-pole, double-throw
- DSO – Digital storage oscilloscope
- EDA – Electronic design automation
See all 82 electronics & electrical abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.