What electrical terms does AC/DC abbreviate?

AC/DC abbreviates alternating current/direct current. These are the two principal forms of electrical current referenced by the band’s name.

Alternating current, or AC, periodically reverses direction and is the form commonly delivered through household power grids. Direct current, or DC, flows in a single direction and is associated with sources such as batteries. Power adapters and electrical equipment can involve conversions between the two, which is why both markings may appear together on a device.

The abbreviation was not invented for the rock group. Angus Young encountered the letters on an electrical label associated with a sewing-machine adapter, and the Young brothers adopted the term because it suggested energy and electricity. The slash in “AC/DC” is part of the band’s stylized name; in electrical writing, the two abbreviations are normally discussed separately.