I.R.C.
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Internal Revenue Code |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Law & Legal, Organizations & Companies, Technology & Computing, Writing & Everyday |
| Also written | IRC |
I.R.C. has four meanings. The most common are Internal Revenue Code (legal citation) and International Rescue Committee (nonprofit); it can also stand for Internet Relay Chat and International Reply Coupon.
Meanings of I.R.C. at a glance
| # | I.R.C. stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internal Revenue Code | Law & Legal › Legal Citation |
| 2 | International Rescue Committee | Organizations & Companies › Nonprofit |
| 3 | Internet Relay Chat | Technology & Computing › Networking |
| 4 | International Reply Coupon | Writing & Everyday › Mail and Postal |
1. Internal Revenue Code
Law & Legal · Legal Citation Abbreviations
Body of federal tax law codified as Title 26 of the United States Code, covering income, estate, gift, employment and excise taxes. The current version is the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and tax professionals refer to provisions by section number alone.
Example: Under I.R.C. § 1031, gain on an exchange of like-kind real property is deferred.
The Bluebook allows "I.R.C. § 61" in place of "26 U.S.C. § 61". Earlier codes were enacted in 1939 and 1954. Practitioners speak of a "501(c)(3) organization" or a "1031 exchange" without naming the Code. Regulations interpreting it appear in Title 26 of the C.F.R. and are cited as Treas. Reg.
2. International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Organizations & Companies · Nonprofit Abbreviations
Humanitarian organization that responds to crises in more than 40 countries with health care, education and economic support, and helps refugees resettle in US cities.
Example: The IRC helped the family find an apartment and jobs after their arrival.
Its roots lie in a 1933 relief association formed at the suggestion of Albert Einstein to help people fleeing Nazi Germany, which merged with another group in 1942. Its resettlement offices work with US refugee admissions, which have fluctuated sharply with policy changes. In chat history, IRC means Internet Relay Chat.
3. Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Technology & Computing · Networking Abbreviations
A text chat protocol in which users join channels, named with a # sign, on networks of linked servers. It was the main real-time chat system of the early internet and is still used by open-source projects and technical communities.
Example: Ask in the #debian channel on IRC; the maintainers usually answer within the hour.
Created by Jarkko Oikarinen in Finland in 1988. Large networks have included EFnet, Undernet, freenode and, since 2021, Libera Chat, which most free-software projects joined after a dispute over freenode's management. Chat conventions such as /me actions began on IRC, and Slack and Discord borrowed its channel model.
4. International Reply Coupon (IRC)
Writing & Everyday · Mail and Postal Abbreviations
A coupon sold at post offices that can be exchanged in another country for postage to send a reply, letting correspondents prepay return mail across borders.
Example: The fan club asked overseas members to enclose an IRC for the reply.
The Universal Postal Union introduced IRCs in 1906. In 1920 Charles Ponzi built his notorious fraud on a supposed arbitrage in IRC prices, giving his name to Ponzi schemes. USPS stopped selling IRCs in 2013, though many other countries still offer them. In computing, IRC means Internet Relay Chat.
Related abbreviations
More legal citation abbreviations
- Fed. R. Crim. P. – Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
- Fed. R. Evid. – Federal Rules of Evidence
- Fed. Reg. – Federal Register
- H.R. Rep. – House Report
- Id. – Idem (the same)
- infra – Infra (below)
- L. Ed. – Lawyers' Edition
- L. Rev. – Law Review
See all 87 legal citation abbreviations →
More nonprofit abbreviations
- HRC – Human Rights Campaign
- HRW – Human Rights Watch
- HSUS – Humane Society of the United States
- INGO – International nongovernmental organization
- JDRF – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- K of C – Knights of Columbus
- LULAC – League of United Latin American Citizens
- MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving
See all 91 nonprofit abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.