NPC
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Non-player character |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Texting & Internet Slang, Government & Politics, Medical, Education & Academia |
NPC has five meanings. The most common are Non-player character (gaming slang) and National People's Congress (world government); it can also stand for Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Net price calculator and National Panhellenic Conference.
Meanings of NPC at a glance
| # | NPC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-player character | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 2 | National People's Congress | Government & Politics › World Government |
| 3 | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma | Medical › Ophthalmology & ENT |
| 4 | Net price calculator | Education & Academia › Academic |
| 5 | National Panhellenic Conference | Education & Academia › Academic |
1. Non-player character
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Character in a video game or tabletop RPG controlled by the computer or game master rather than a player, such as shopkeepers, quest givers and townspeople.
Example: Talk to the NPC by the fountain to start the side quest.
NPCs fill game worlds with dialogue and quests and range from simple vendors to complex companions. In tabletop RPGs the game master voices them. Since 2018, "NPC" has also been slang for people seen as unoriginal or robotic, a separate meaning.
2. National People's Congress
Government & Politics · World Government Abbreviations
China's highest organ of state power and national legislature, with nearly 3,000 deputies who meet for about a week each March. Its Standing Committee handles most lawmaking between sessions.
Example: The NPC approved the annual growth target and the defense budget on the final day of the session.
The NPC's March session coincides with that of an advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, together called the "Two Sessions". Deputies are elected indirectly and almost never reject party proposals, leading critics to call it a rubber-stamp parliament. In video games, NPC means non-player character.
3. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Medical · Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations
Cancer arising in the nasopharynx, the space behind the nose, strongly associated with Epstein-Barr virus and especially common in southern China and Southeast Asia. Early signs include a neck lump, nosebleeds, nasal blockage and fluid in one ear.
Example: Adult with new unilateral OME and neck node; nasopharyngoscopy shows mass, biopsy NPC.
An adult with new one-sided middle ear fluid should have the nasopharynx examined for this cancer. Treatment centers on radiation therapy, usually with chemotherapy. Blood tests for EBV DNA help with screening in high-incidence regions and with monitoring. In optometry NPC means near point of convergence.
4. Net price calculator
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Online tool, required on the website of every US college that participates in federal student aid, that estimates what a particular family would pay after grants and scholarships. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 mandated the calculators, which became required in 2011.
Example: Run each school's NPC before applying; the sticker price can be misleading.
Estimates vary in quality; some calculators ask detailed questions while others use only income. Results are not binding, and actual aid depends on the FAFSA, CSS Profile and verification. Families with business, farm or divorced-parent situations should expect less accurate estimates.
5. National Panhellenic Conference
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Umbrella organization, founded in 1902, for 26 national and international women's sororities, which sets rules for formal recruitment on college campuses. Campus chapters are coordinated by a local Panhellenic Council.
Example: NPC sororities on campus hold formal recruitment during the week before classes start.
Recruitment follows a "mutual selection" process of rounds and invitations ending on bid day. NPC member groups include Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Gamma and Kappa Kappa Gamma. In financial aid, NPC usually means net price calculator.
Related abbreviations
More gaming slang abbreviations
- MTX – Microtransactions
- Nat 20 – Natural 20
- NG+ – New Game Plus
- NOOB – Newbie
- NS – Nice shot
- NT – Nice try
- OHKO – One-hit knockout
- OOB – Out of bounds
See all 145 gaming slang abbreviations →
More world government abbreviations
- NDA – National Democratic Alliance
- NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme
- NDP – New Democratic Party
- NKVD – People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs
- OAS – Old Age Security
- PA – Palestinian Authority
- PAN – National Action Party
- PBS – Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
See all 103 world government abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.