carboncopy

Carbon copy, also known as CC, is a method of duplicating a document, typically a letter or a photograph, onto multiple copies simultaneously. The phrase "carbon copy" is derived from a device that produces duplicates of written or printed material, known as a carbon paper.

When an original piece of writing is typed or printed, a sheet of carbon paper is placed between the original and a blank sheet of paper. The pressure of the typewriter keys or printer ink causes the carbon paper's surface to transfer the images to the second sheet, creating an exact replica of the original writing. This process generated multiple copies of the document, making it useful for mass communication and administrative tasks.

The use of carbon paper was widespread until the introduction of copy machines and electronic document reproduction methods. Today, the term "carbon copy" is largely obsolete, replaced by modern office equipment and digital tools that facilitate multiple copies of documents.

In online communication, carbon copy has a different connotation, referring to the ability to easily share messages with multiple recipients by typing "CC" in emails, meaning "carbon copy." In this context, the recipients whose email addresses are listed after the "CC" are sent a copy of the message, as if they were being physically included in the original document being distributed. This feature preserves the original intent of the carbon paper system, allowing users to send duplicate copies of their messages to other recipients.