RC
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Release candidate |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Medical, Science & Engineering, Military |
RC has four meanings. The most common are Release candidate (software) and Rotator cuff (anatomy); it can also stand for Reinforced concrete and Reserve component.
Meanings of RC at a glance
| # | RC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Release candidate | Technology & Computing › Software |
| 2 | Rotator cuff | Medical › Anatomy |
| 3 | Reinforced concrete | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
| 4 | Reserve component | Military › Military Term |
1. Release candidate
Technology & Computing · Software Abbreviations
Build believed to be ready for release and published for final testing; if no serious bugs appear, it ships as the final version unchanged. Projects number them RC1, RC2 and so on.
Example: Linux 6.12-rc7 is out, and the final release is expected next Sunday.
Linux kernel development typically goes through seven or eight RCs over about two months for each version. Python embeds the label in version strings, as in 3.13.0rc1. A release candidate differs from a beta in being feature-complete, with only critical fixes allowed. Apple uses "RC" for the final pre-release builds it formerly called GM. RC also means remote control, as in RC cars.
2. Rotator cuff
Medical · Anatomy Abbreviations
Group of four muscles and their tendons (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis) that surround the shoulder joint, holding the humeral head in the socket and rotating the arm. Rotator cuff tendinopathy and tears are among the most common causes of shoulder pain in adults.
Example: MRI: full-thickness RC tear of the supraspinatus with 1.5 cm retraction.
The muscles are remembered with the mnemonic SITS. Degenerative tears become very common with age and are often painless. The supraspinatus tears most often because it passes beneath the acromion. Repairs are usually arthroscopic, and rehabilitation takes several months.
3. Reinforced concrete
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations
Composite material in which steel bars (rebar) or mesh embedded in concrete carry tensile forces, while the concrete resists compression. Reinforced concrete forms the foundations, columns, slabs, bridges, dams and tunnels of most modern infrastructure.
Example: The parking structure has RC columns and post-tensioned slabs.
French gardener Joseph Monier patented iron-reinforced concrete flowerpots in 1867, and François Hennebique developed a practical building system in the 1890s. Steel and concrete expand at nearly the same rate with temperature, which keeps them bonded. Corrosion of rebar, often from de-icing salt, is a major cause of deterioration.
4. Reserve component
Military · Military Term Abbreviations
Collective term for the part-time forces of the US military: the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve.
Example: RC units provided most of the military police deployed to the mission.
The full-time force is the active component (AC). The reserve components grew in importance after the Total Force policy of the 1970s, which relied on them for major wars, and they have deployed heavily since 2001.
Related abbreviations
More software abbreviations
- OLE – Object Linking and Embedding
- OSI – Open Source Initiative
- OSS – Open-source software
- OTA – Over-the-air update
- ROM – ROM image
- RPM – RPM Package Manager
- RTM – Release to manufacturing
- SCCM – System Center Configuration Manager
See all 70 software abbreviations →
More anatomy abbreviations
- PCL – Posterior cruciate ligament
- PIP – Proximal interphalangeal (joint)
- PNS – Peripheral nervous system
- PT – Posterior tibial (artery or pulse)
- RLQ – Right lower quadrant
- RUQ – Right upper quadrant
- S1 – First sacral vertebra or nerve root
- SB – Small bowel
See all 70 anatomy abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.