What do CC and BCC stand for in an email?

When writing professional emails, you’ve likely seen the fields CC and BCC. Understanding them is essential for proper email etiquette.

• CC means Carbon Copy. When you CC someone, they receive a copy of the email, and their email address is visible to all other recipients. It’s usually used when you want to keep someone in the loop without requiring them to take direct action. For example, if you email a client and CC your manager, it signals that your manager is only observing the conversation.
• BCC means Blind Carbon Copy. The key difference is that when you BCC someone, their address is hidden from other recipients. This is useful for privacy, such as when sending a newsletter to many people who shouldn’t see each other’s contact information. It can also be used tactically in business, for instance, to inform a colleague without letting the main recipient know.

Using CC and BCC correctly shows professionalism. Overusing CC can clutter inboxes and make communication confusing, while misusing BCC can damage trust if people feel excluded. A good guideline is: use CC when transparency is needed, use BCC for confidentiality or mass communications, and always consider whether the person truly needs to be on the email chain.