What is cc

CC in Email

In email communication, CC stands for 'carbon copy'. The CC field allows you to send a copy of your email message to recipients you specify, with all email recipients able to see the addresses of those who were CC'd. This is useful when you want additional people to be informed about a message or conversation, but they are not the primary recipients indicated in the 'To' field.

How CC Works

When you compose an email, the 'To' field contains the primary recipients who are the main subjects of the message. The 'CC' field contains secondary recipients who should be informed but may not require direct action. All recipients of the email (both 'To' and 'CC') can see everyone else's email addresses in the message header. This transparency is an important distinction that separates CC from other email functions and affects how you should use it in professional and personal communication.

CC vs TO vs BCC

Understanding the differences between these three email fields is crucial for proper email etiquette:

• TO: Contains primary recipients who are the main focus of the message and typically require action or direct response
• CC: Contains secondary recipients who need to be informed but are not the primary focus; their addresses are visible to all recipients
• BCC: Contains recipients whose addresses are hidden from all other recipients; used when you want to include someone without others knowing

Choosing the correct field helps establish clear communication expectations and shows respect for recipients' time and priorities.

Other Meanings of CC

While CC most commonly refers to 'carbon copy' in email, the abbreviation has several other meanings depending on context:

• Closed Captions - Text representation of audio content for accessibility
• Credit Card - A financial payment instrument
• Cubic Centimeters - A unit of volume measurement, often used for engine displacement
• Creative Commons - A copyright licensing system
• Country Code - In domain names and telephone numbers

History of the Term

The term 'carbon copy' originates from the era of typewriters and physical correspondence. Before photocopiers and email, people would place carbon paper between sheets of paper when typing. When pressure was applied while typing, the carbon paper would create a duplicate copy of the document on the sheet below. This duplicate was called a 'carbon copy.' The term has persisted into the digital age, even though the physical process is no longer used, because email functions serve a similar purpose of creating informational copies for multiple recipients.