DOC
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | United States Department of Commerce |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Technology & Computing, Law & Legal, Units & Measurements |
DOC has four meanings. The most common are United States Department of Commerce (US federal agency) and Microsoft Word document (legacy binary format) (file format); it can also stand for Department of Corrections and Denominazione di Origine Controllata (controlled designation of origin).
Meanings of DOC at a glance
| # | DOC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Department of Commerce | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
| 2 | Microsoft Word document (legacy binary format) | Technology & Computing › File Format |
| 3 | Department of Corrections | Law & Legal › Criminal Law |
| 4 | Denominazione di Origine Controllata (controlled designation of origin) | Units & Measurements › Cooking |
1. United States Department of Commerce
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Promotes economic growth and trade through bureaus including the Census Bureau, NOAA, NIST, the Patent and Trademark Office and the Bureau of Industry and Security, which controls exports of sensitive technology. It is led by the Secretary of Commerce.
Example: Chipmakers need a DOC export license before shipping advanced processors to certain countries.
It began in 1903 as the Department of Commerce and Labor and split into two departments in 1913. Weather forecasting falls under Commerce because the National Weather Service is part of NOAA. In state government and criminal justice, DOC usually means a Department of Corrections, so context decides the meaning.
2. Microsoft Word document (legacy binary format)
Technology & Computing · File Format Abbreviations
File format of Microsoft Word 97 to 2003 and earlier versions, storing documents in a proprietary binary structure. Modern Word still opens and saves .doc files in compatibility mode.
Example: The government form is a DOC template from 2003, so Word opens it in Compatibility Mode.
Word first appeared in 1983, and the binary .doc format became the de facto standard for office documents in the 1990s. Microsoft published the format specification in 2008. DOC files can contain macros, which spread viruses such as Melissa in 1999. Saving as DOCX reduces file size and enables newer features.
3. Department of Corrections
Law & Legal · Criminal Law Abbreviations
State agency, and in some places a county or city agency, that runs prisons and often supervises people on probation or parole. Sentences longer than a year in state cases are typically served in the DOC rather than a county jail.
Example: He was sentenced to five years in the DOC, with credit for the 14 months already served.
Names vary: some states say Department of Correction, California has its Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and Texas its Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Inmates receive a DOC number used throughout their incarceration. Local jails holding people for shorter terms are usually run by sheriffs, and federal prisoners are held by the Bureau of Prisons.
4. Denominazione di Origine Controllata (controlled designation of origin)
Units & Measurements · Cooking Abbreviations
Italian quality designation for wines and some foods produced in a specific region under rules on grape varieties, yields and aging. DOCG, with a G for garantita (guaranteed), is the stricter top tier.
Example: This Chianti carries the DOCG seal, while the house red is a Tuscan DOC.
Italy established the DOC system in 1963, modeled on the French AOC. Labels may also show IGT for broader regional wines. Similar systems include Spain's DO and Portugal's DOC, which shares the same initials. Chianti Classico and Barolo are examples of DOCG wines.
Related abbreviations
More US federal agency abbreviations
- DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- DEA – Drug Enforcement Administration
- DHS – United States Department of Homeland Security
- DIA – Defense Intelligence Agency
- DoD – United States Department of Defense
- DOE – United States Department of Energy
- DOGE – Department of Government Efficiency
- DOI – United States Department of the Interior
See all 152 US federal agency abbreviations →
More file format abbreviations
- DAT – Data file
- DEB – Debian package
- DMG – Apple Disk Image
- DNG – Digital Negative
- DOCX – Office Open XML Word document
- DWG – Drawing
- DXF – Drawing Exchange Format
- EML – Email message file
See all 125 file format abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.