Dec
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | December |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Units & Measurements, Science & Engineering |
Dec has two meanings. It stands for December (month) or Declination (astronomy & Space).
Meanings of Dec at a glance
| # | Dec stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | December | Units & Measurements › Month |
| 2 | Declination | Science & Engineering › Astronomy & Space |
1. December
Units & Measurements · Month Abbreviations
Closing out the year with 31 days, December is named from Latin decem, ten. It contains the December solstice around December 21, the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest in the Southern.
Example: Last day to order for Christmas delivery is Dec. 18.
Year-end deadlines for taxes, benefits enrollment and calendar-year financial reporting cluster on December 31, and AP style shortens the month to Dec. only with a specific date. In technical writing Dec can also mean decimal or declination, so data files are clearer with ISO numeric dates.
2. Declination
Science & Engineering · Astronomy & Space Abbreviations
Celestial coordinate equivalent to latitude, measured in degrees north (+) or south (-) of the celestial equator. Polaris has a declination of nearly +90 degrees, while stars near -90 degrees are visible only from the Southern Hemisphere.
Example: Objects with a Dec below about -50 degrees never rise above the horizon as seen from New York.
Written Dec, Decl. or the Greek letter delta. An observer at latitude L can see stars down to a declination of L minus 90 degrees. Not to be confused with Dec. for December.
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