When did DCE become Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment?

Has it always been Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment?
Why isn't it DCTE
then?

DTE - Data Terminal Equipment DCE - Data Communication Equipment Is
DTE really Data Terminal-Terminating Equipment?

 

I think I can see a way
that Data Communication/Terminal Equipment could have become that DCTE
garbage. An exhaustive primairy source (google) search shows that the
expanded
DCE "data communication equipment" has ~30K results.
While my
new favorite
DCTE "data circuit-terminating equipment" has 54 results.

 

The
real questions here are why am I reading "Essential Guide to
Telecommunications, Second Edition, The" and "Absolute Beginner's Guide to
Networking, Third Edition" and haven't I already proven to myself that I
get much less frustrated when I just don't do the assigned reading?

This
is what I get for playing with computers instead of attending classes
during my first go at college, well this and a pile of student loans that
took a few years to pay off.