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DPS

American  

abbreviation

  1. damage per second: (in a video game)

    1. a calculation of the rate of damage performed by a particular weapon, spell, character, or job class in the period of one second, used as a standard measurement of effectiveness in order to compare the relative effectiveness of one set of equipment or one character build against another.

    2. Also called DPS character.  damage dealer. See DD.

  2. Department of Public Safety: a state or local government agency with responsibilities that vary by jurisdiction and can include the coordination of emergency aid services and disaster response, the administration of state police and state correctional facilities, the promotion of highway safety and environmental safety, etc.

  3. DoctorDoctorate of Public Service: an honorary degree recognizing a person’s outstanding contributions to the community.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The letter from the DPS apologises if information about Lorraine was discussed between officers without a legitimate policing purpose.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2025

Public information the county provided the news organizations indicated she was flagged as a potential noncitizen in DPS data.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

The halftime show telecast will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton serving as director.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2024

A DPS spokesperson declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

From Salon • May 23, 2024

“Oh yeah. A healer and a tank walk into a boss fight with a DPS that doesn’t do damage...”

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows