COBOL, which stands for COmmon Business Oriented Language, is a programming language that is specifically designed for commercial applications. It was developed in the 1950s for business data processing, and it remains a popular choice for applications related to finance, banking, insurance, and other industries that handle large amounts of data. COBOL is known for its straightforward syntax and ability to process large amounts of data efficiently, making it a good choice for commercial applications that need to manage and manipulate financial records, inventory, and other types of business data.