Esc
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Escape key |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Transportation & Travel, Medical, Science & Engineering |
| Also written | ESC |
Esc has four meanings. The most common are Escape key (computer) and Electronic stability control (automotive); it can also stand for European Society of Cardiology and Embryonic stem cell.
Meanings of Esc at a glance
| # | Esc stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Escape key | Technology & Computing › Computer |
| 2 | Electronic stability control | Transportation & Travel › Automotive |
| 3 | European Society of Cardiology | Medical › Cardiology |
| 4 | Embryonic stem cell | Science & Engineering › Biology |
1. Escape key
Technology & Computing · Computer Abbreviations
Key in the top-left corner of most keyboards used to cancel an action, close a dialog, leave full-screen mode or stop a web page from loading. In the Vim editor it returns from insert mode to command mode.
Example: Press Esc to exit full-screen video.
IBM programmer Bob Bemer is credited with introducing the escape character around 1960 so programs could switch between character sets; ASCII code 27 is ESC. Escape sequences beginning with it still control colors and cursor movement in terminals. Some 2016 to 2019 MacBook Pro models replaced the physical key with a Touch Bar button, and Apple brought the real key back after complaints.
2. Electronic stability control (ESC)
Transportation & Travel · Automotive Abbreviations
Safety system that detects when a vehicle begins to skid or slide sideways and automatically brakes individual wheels and reduces engine power to keep it on its intended path. ESC has been required on all new US passenger vehicles since the 2012 model year.
Example: ESC kicked in on the icy off-ramp and caught the slide before I even noticed it.
IIHS research found ESC cut the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by about half, making it one of the most effective safety technologies since the seat belt. The EU made it mandatory on all new cars from 2014. Manufacturers use brand names such as ESP, VSC, StabiliTrak and DSC.
3. European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Medical · Cardiology Abbreviations
Nonprofit federation of national cardiac societies founded in 1950 and headquartered at Sophia Antipolis near Nice, France. Its clinical practice guidelines are used across Europe and much of the world, and its annual ESC Congress is among the largest cardiology meetings anywhere.
Example: The 2023 ESC update recommends SGLT2 inhibitors for heart failure across the full range of ejection fraction.
ESC guidelines often differ from ACC/AHA guidelines in thresholds and terminology, such as TAVI versus TAVR or a 140/90 hypertension threshold versus 130/80. The society publishes the European Heart Journal, and members may use the designation FESC. On a keyboard ESC is the Escape key.
4. Embryonic stem cell (ESC)
Science & Engineering · Biology Abbreviations
Pluripotent cell derived from the inner cell mass of an early embryo at the blastocyst stage, able to divide indefinitely and to give rise to almost any cell type in the body. ESCs are used to study development and to make specialized cells for research and cell therapies.
Example: Human ESC lines were differentiated into insulin-producing beta cells.
Martin Evans and Matthew Kaufman, and separately Gail Martin, derived mouse ESCs in 1981; James Thomson derived human ESCs in 1998. Their use has been ethically and politically contested because obtaining them destroys an embryo. Also written ES cells; the keyboard key Esc is unrelated.
Related abbreviations
More computer abbreviations
- DISM – Deployment Image Servicing and Management
- DOS – Disk operating system
- DP – Data processing
- EBCDIC – Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
- exFAT – Extended File Allocation Table
- ext4 – Fourth extended file system
- FAT – File Allocation Table
- FAT32 – File Allocation Table, 32-bit
See all 92 computer abbreviations →
More automotive abbreviations
- ECM – Engine control module
- ECU – Engine control unit
- EFI – Electronic fuel injection
- EGR – Exhaust gas recirculation
- ESP – Electronic Stability Program
- EV – Electric vehicle
- EVAP – Evaporative emission control system
- FCEV – Fuel cell electric vehicle
See all 116 automotive abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.