cc and bcc

What is the opposite of cc and bcc? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.

Noun — The two email fields that send a copy of a message to additional people: cc (carbon copy) lists those recipients openly, so everyone can see them, while bcc (blind carbon copy) hides them, so no other recipient knows they received it.

We haven't recorded synonyms for cc and bcc yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use cc and bcc

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

cc me on that put her in cc bcc the whole list keep him in cc

Neutral and universal in workplace email. Written lowercase, and used as verbs without comment: cc me, bcc her.

Etymology

From carbon copy and blind carbon copy, referring to the sheets of carbon paper once used to produce duplicates of a typed letter.

Full origin of cc and bcc →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cc and bcc?

Recipients in cc are visible to everyone who receives the email; recipients in bcc are not shown to anyone. If you bcc someone, the people in the To and cc fields have no idea that person got the message, and the bcc recipients cannot see each other either.

When should you use bcc?

Two main cases. To protect privacy when emailing a large list, so nobody harvests everyone else's address, and to quietly keep a third party informed. Be careful with the second: if the bcc recipient hits reply-all, the cover is blown and it looks underhand.

Does the difference matter for replies?

Yes. Reply-all goes to everyone in To and cc but never to bcc recipients. Someone in bcc who replies-all will reveal that they were secretly copied, which is why bcc is best used only for one-way information.

Nearby words

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