Cc

Stands for "Carbon Copy." The term comes from carbon copying, in which a piece of carbon paper copies writing from one paper to another (often used when filling out forms). However, the term is now commonly used in reference to e-mail. When you send an e-mail message, you typically type the recipient's address in the "To:" field. If you want to send the message to one or more other recipients, you can use the "Cc:" field to add additional addresses. This will send the e-mail to the address in the "To:" field and to each address listed in the "Cc:" field as well.

The "Cc:" option is often used in business communications when a message is intended for one person, but is relevant to other people as well. For example, a retail employee may e-mail another employee saying he can work for her on a certain day. He might include his manager's and assistant manager's e-mail addresses in the "Cc:" field to let them know he is taking the work shift. Similarly, a team member working on a product design may e-mail his boss with the latest design revisions and may "Cc:" the other members of his team to let them know the e-mail has been sent.

"CCing" (yes, it can also be used as a verb) is a quick way to let other people in on your e-mail communications. It is efficient because you don't have to send separate messages to each individual address. However, remember that When you Cc an e-mail, all the recipients can see the other addresses the message was sent to. If you want to hide the additional addresses, use Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) instead.

Updated November 24, 2006 by Per C.

quizTest Your Knowledge

Which of the following was a popular social networking website in the early 2000s?

A
MySpace
0%
B
OurSpace
0%
C
Sharespace
0%
D
Squarespace
0%
Correct! Incorrect!     View the MySpace definition.
More Quizzes →

The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary

The definition of Cc on this page is an original definition written by the TechTerms.com team. If you would like to reference this page or cite this definition, please use the green citation links above.

The goal of TechTerms.com is to explain computer terminology in a way that is easy to understand. We strive for simplicity and accuracy with every definition we publish. If you have feedback about this definition or would like to suggest a new technical term, please contact us.

Sign up for the free TechTerms Newsletter

How often would you like to receive an email?

You can unsubscribe or change your frequency setting at any time using the links available in each email.

Questions? Please contact us.