UPS

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

UPS
Stands forUnited Parcel Service
Meanings2
CategoriesOrganizations & Companies, Technology & Computing

UPS has two meanings. It stands for United Parcel Service (company and brand) or Uninterruptible power supply (computer hardware).

Meanings of UPS at a glance

#UPS stands forContext
1United Parcel ServiceOrganizations & Companies › Company and Brand
2Uninterruptible power supplyTechnology & Computing › Computer Hardware

1. United Parcel Service

Organizations & Companies · Company and Brand Abbreviations

American package delivery and logistics company, one of the largest in the world, known for its brown trucks and uniforms. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Atlanta.

Example: The UPS driver left the package at the front door.

Founded on August 28, 1907, in Seattle by 19-year-old James Casey and Claude Ryan as the American Messenger Company. It took the name United Parcel Service in 1919. Its drivers' routes are planned to minimize left turns, which saves fuel and time. UPS Airlines is among the largest cargo airlines in the world.

2. Uninterruptible power supply

Technology & Computing · Computer Hardware Abbreviations · also used in science

Battery backup device that keeps computers, network equipment and other electronics running for minutes during a power outage and protects them from surges and brownouts. It gives time to save work and shut down safely.

Example: The UPS keeps the router and NAS running for 20 minutes when the power drops.

Types include standby (offline), line-interactive with automatic voltage regulation (AVR), and online double-conversion, which constantly powers equipment from the inverter and suits sensitive servers. Capacity is quoted in volt-amperes (VA) and watts. A USB cable lets the UPS signal the computer to shut down automatically. Lead-acid batteries typically need replacing every three to five years. UPS is also the parcel carrier United Parcel Service.

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More computer hardware abbreviations

  • TLC – Triple-level cell
  • TPM – Trusted Platform Module
  • TPU – Tensor Processing Unit
  • UFS – Universal Flash Storage
  • USB – Universal Serial Bus
  • USB-A – Universal Serial Bus Type-A
  • USB-B – Universal Serial Bus Type-B
  • USB-C – Universal Serial Bus Type-C

See all 151 computer hardware abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.