NC
Abbreviation with 6 meanings
| Stands for | North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 6 |
| Categories | Geography & Places, Medical, Science & Engineering, Texting & Internet Slang, Sports |
NC has six meanings. The most common are North Carolina (US state) and Nasal cannula (respiratory); it can also stand for Normally closed, No contact, No contest and New Caledonia.
Meanings of NC at a glance
| # | NC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | Geography & Places › US State |
| 2 | Nasal cannula | Medical › Respiratory |
| 3 | Normally closed | Science & Engineering › Electronics & Electrical |
| 4 | No contact | Texting & Internet Slang › Dating and Relationship |
| 5 | No contest | Sports › Other Sports |
| 6 | New Caledonia | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. North Carolina
Geography & Places · US State Abbreviations
The Tar Heel State ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. Raleigh is the capital and Charlotte the largest city, the Research Triangle is a major technology hub, and the Wright brothers made the first powered flight near Kitty Hawk in 1903.
Example: The startup relocated to Durham, NC to be near the Research Triangle universities.
North Carolina's AP and traditional form is N.C. The postal code was fixed in 1963. NC also means no charge on invoices and is New Caledonia's ISO code. In sports, NC State refers to North Carolina State University, not to the state itself.
2. Nasal cannula
Medical · Respiratory Abbreviations
Lightweight tube with two prongs placed in the nostrils to deliver supplemental oxygen, usually at 1 to 6 liters per minute. It is the most common oxygen device in hospitals and at home, allowing patients to eat and talk.
Example: SpO2 91% on 2 L NC, weaning to room air as tolerated.
Each liter per minute adds very roughly 3 to 4 percent to the inspired oxygen fraction, from about 24 percent at 1 L to about 40 percent at 6 L, though the actual value varies with breathing pattern. Higher flows dry and irritate the nose unless humidified. High-flow nasal cannula is a different, heated and humidified system.
3. Normally closed
Science & Engineering · Electronics & Electrical Abbreviations
Describes a switch or relay contact that is closed, conducting current, when the device is at rest and opens when it is activated. Safety circuits such as emergency stops use NC contacts so that a broken wire stops the machine, as a fail-safe.
Example: Wire the emergency stop through the NC contacts so that pressing it breaks the circuit.
The opposite is normally open (NO). Relay and switch terminals are often labeled COM, NC and NO. Door and window alarm sensors commonly use NC loops so that cutting a wire triggers the alarm. In geography NC is the postal abbreviation for North Carolina.
4. No contact
Texting & Internet Slang · Dating and Relationship Abbreviations
Deliberately cutting off all communication with an ex-partner, or with an abusive or toxic family member, as in "I've been NC for three months." A staple of breakup-recovery and family-estrangement forums.
Example: Day 30 of NC with my ex, deleted the photos and muted his accounts.
Breakup communities recommend no contact to help people heal and avoid on-again, off-again cycles. On family-support forums, "going NC" with a parent is a serious decision, and "LC" (low contact) describes limited communication. The phrase is neutral, but the subject is often painful.
5. No contest
Sports · Other Sports Abbreviations
Result in boxing or mixed martial arts that voids a fight, typically because of an accidental foul that ends it early, a failed drug test or outside interference. A no contest counts as neither a win nor a loss.
Example: The bout was changed to an NC after the winner tested positive for a banned substance.
Athletic commissions, such as the Nevada State Athletic Commission, can overturn a result to NC after the fact. In US geography NC is the postal code for North Carolina.
6. New Caledonia
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
French Pacific territory with Nouméa as its capital and NCL as its alpha-3 code, holding a large share of the world's nickel reserves. Voters rejected independence in referendums held in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
Example: Nickel exports from NC slumped as world prices fell.
Its lagoon is one of the largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In US addresses NC is North Carolina.
Related abbreviations
More US state abbreviations
- MN – Minnesota
- MO – Missouri
- MS – Mississippi
- MT – Montana
- ND – North Dakota
- NE – Nebraska
- NH – New Hampshire
- NJ – New Jersey
See all 51 US state abbreviations →
More respiratory abbreviations
- LTOT – Long-term oxygen therapy
- LUL – Left upper lobe
- MART – Maintenance and reliever therapy
- MV – Mechanical ventilation
- NIPPV – Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation
- NIV – Noninvasive ventilation
- NRB – Nonrebreather mask
- NSIP – Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.