# UTC

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/utc
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. world time standard

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

Stands for Coordinated Universal Time. This is the official time used around the world to keep clocks synchronized.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Coordinated Universal Time. The international standard for civil time, kept within one second of solar time by leap seconds.

- The international flight is scheduled to depart at 14:00 UTC.
- Network administrators must ensure that all servers are synchronized to UTC to prevent discrepancies in time-stamped transaction logs.

Usage: Usually used without an article when referring to the time standard itself.

Teaching tip: Learners should know that UTC replaced GMT as the official standard, though the two are often used interchangeably in casual conversation.

### 2. traffic laws

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical · Formal

Stands for Uniform Traffic Code. It is a set of rules for driving and traffic in some regions.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Uniform Traffic Code. A standardized set of traffic laws adopted by various jurisdictions to ensure consistency in road regulations.

- The officer cited a specific section of the UTC during the traffic stop.
- The municipal government voted to adopt the latest revisions of the UTC to better manage the increase in electric scooter traffic.

Usage: Typically used with 'the' when referring to the specific legal document.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly specific to legal and administrative contexts in the United States.

## Examples

- The flight departs at 14:00 UTC.
- International legal contracts often specify a deadline in UTC to avoid confusion between parties in different time zones.
- While UTC is effectively synonymous with GMT in casual conversation, it is technically a more precise standard that incorporates leap seconds to account for irregularities in the Earth's orbital velocity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.