CCD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Charge-coupled device |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Religion |
CCD has two meanings. It stands for Charge-coupled device (physics) or Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (religious term).
Meanings of CCD at a glance
| # | CCD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charge-coupled device | Science & Engineering › Physics |
| 2 | Confraternity of Christian Doctrine | Religion › Religious Term |
1. Charge-coupled device
Science & Engineering · Physics Abbreviations
Light-sensitive chip divided into pixels that convert photons into electric charges, which are shifted out and read row by row to form a digital image. CCDs revolutionized astronomy and powered early digital cameras, camcorders, scanners and medical imaging before CMOS sensors largely replaced them in consumer devices.
Example: The telescope's cooled CCD camera captured galaxies too faint to see in the eyepiece.
Willard Boyle and George Smith invented the CCD at Bell Labs in 1969 and shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics. Astronomical CCDs are cooled to reduce noise and can record more than 90% of incoming photons at some wavelengths, versus a few percent for photographic film. The Hubble Space Telescope has used CCD cameras since its launch.
2. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
Religion · Religious Term Abbreviations
Catholic association for teaching the faith, founded in Rome in the 16th century, whose name in the United States became shorthand for parish religious education classes for children attending public schools. Many American Catholics remember "going to CCD" on weeknights or Sundays.
Example: The kids have CCD on Wednesday nights to prepare for First Communion.
Many dioceses now prefer names such as Parish School of Religion or faith formation. The US Confraternity also sponsored the New American Bible translation, which is why its copyright notices mention the CCD. The abbreviation also means charge-coupled device in electronics.
Related abbreviations
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- COM – Center of mass
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