Do you know the definition of C/O? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the abbreviation C/O, including its definition, usage, examples, and more!
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According to Cards Direct, ℅ stands for care of. This is a way of addressing someone that indicates it is supposed to be delivered to an addressee in a place where they do not normally receive mail or correspondence. This term lets the post office know that the recipient of the mail is not the normal recipient at that address. For example, if a friend was traveling and staying at a hotel, you could send them a package or letter to the notel, addressed to “Friend’s Name ℅ Hotel Name.”
In order to use this, you would write the recipient’s name on the first line of the letter like normal. Then on the second line you would write “℅” followed by the person at the address you are using. This can be used in business, for people who are traveling on vacation, or for an event invitation. This is similar to using an “attention” or “attn” on a letter, but is slightly different. “Attention” is used when you are sending something to a business or location with multiple people present. For example, if you were addressing a letter to the employee of a business, you could address it, “Business Name Attn: John Doe.” You will most commonly see abbreviations like this on envelopes that are not going to a person’s home address or typical street address. The USPS is aware of these terms that can be used by a sender for shipping purposes. This is considered necessary information just like a return address on a piece of mail.
Co is also a prefix used on many different words that means “auxiliary or helping.” This can be used on words such as the following list from Word Reference and Word Example.
covariance
cove
contractor
contestable
cornmill
corroboration
conurbation
comrade
comically
convection
condescension
coca
continuously
cointreau
countdown
conspicuous
collation
concertina
continental
colonnade
conductor
coq
constrain
coke
correction
contrastive
collaboration
corfe
coy
conversant
counter-attack
coax
conundrum
coarseness
contemporaneous
collector
counterclaim
condor
confide
court
copy
coalite
comp
contralto
couplet
cobb
convocation
conscription
considerable
converge
confidential
cognac
costa
courtesan
continence
cox
conscientiously
cogently
contention
countryman
compulsion
continuum
contemporary
conceit
connotation
covert
computerisation
contralateral
corgi
common-sense
competitiveness
conveyor
comprehend
collarbone
compunction
cognition
conscript
conformity
commendation
co-operatively
coward
correct
condense
collegiate
colander
comm
counterfeit
congruence
cockney
coterie
county
courtesy
corrosive
compile
connector
conformational
covertly
conduction
cohen
comely
cohabitation
conception
communion
copier
complementarity
coverage
collins
convention
councillor
communal
complementary
cole
contamination
consternation
coercive
competence
congratulatory
corinthian
courier
couple
coincidentally
comital
cohesiveness
co-ordination
confessional
cogency
correspondent
consequential
corn
continuance
compatibility
conflagration
combe
corporation
confiscation
contributor
component
cowling
corpus
codon
confidently
commute
conservatism
correlation
co-opt
correspondence
compact
cook
combustion
cosmo
consistency
comber
coincidental
coordinate
constancy
contour
cornerstone
collaborate
cosmic
cottage
constable
collective
corky
conveniently
corps
collar
confuse
compel
cookery
constructional
communally
conn
confidante
consonant
copyright
cornflower
conclusion
cold-blooded
convulsion
corset
commonality
combination
compliant
cone
collect
contentedly
constitutionally
copse
contextually
committee
con
cortina
conqueror
communicate
convict
completely
concretion
consciously
connie
contribute
contestant
covent
compress
compare
coldness
counter
collie
cowper
colouration
contaminate
co-exist
coach
coincident
companionway
contributory
constitute
consort
conciliar
colin
controversy
controversial
compressor
convalescent
commercially
coral
conscientious
confession
cousin
co-defendant
copilot
coenzyme
codeclination
conspirator
coadjutor
counterproductive
congregationalist
corsair
conductance
contractual
commandment
consul
comparative
constellation
compaction
comical
corduroy
coordination
complainant
courgette
complex
communicable
cognisance
contribution
coup
confetti
contractile
content
coalition
concise
collectively
concern
colourful
corporatist
coronation
consecration
compass
copulation
cordless
comb
computational
confirmation
colliery
confiscate
courage
courthouse
containment
colonic
colourless
codex
cosmetic
coil
colt
collusion
conservative
commemoration
co-star
commercial
corpuscular
controller
correspondingly
colony
consent
conditional
comic
collusive
convey
codification
According to The Free Dictionary, the acronym ℅ can stand for much more than just care of. These other definitions are perfectly valid, but they are far less common. Because of this, you should use them sparingly. These are also normally not used with a slash in between. If you do decide to use one of these other definitions for this acronym, make sure that the listener or reader has the proper context so that they are not confused. When in doubt, use the full meaning of ℅.
Congregation of the Oratory, Oratorians (religious order)
Champions Online (game)
Cargo Oil
County
Conscientious Objector
Corporación (Spanish)
Conseiller d’Orientation (French)
Castor Oil
Certifying Officer
Course
Covert Operations (gaming)
Cabinet Office
Charlotte Observer (newspaper)
Conservation Operations
Command
Cobalt
Change Order
Clerical Officer (obsolete, now AO)
Correction Officer
Combinatorics and Optimization (field of pure mathematics)
Cash Out (mortgage refinancing)
Consumer Ombudsman (UK)
Clinical Operations
Central Office (telecommunications/telephony)
Cash Order
Community Organizer (Philippines)
Circle Officer (India)
Controlling
Coastal Chart
Conference
Command Operations
Cornish (linguistics)
Circuit Overseer (Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Ciceronian Oration
Correctional Officer
Cargo Operations
Chinese Orchestra
Consent Order
Captive Office (Nortel)
Collection Officer
Certified Orthotist (ABC)
Command Outpost
crude oil
Company
Connection Oriented
Continental Airlines (airline code)
Cardiac Output
Chief Officer
Comercializadora de Occidente SA (Guatemala)
Clean Out (sewers/drains)
Combat Aptitude Area
Clinical Officer (hospital)
Custodial Officer
Combinatorial Optimization (workshop)
Case Operations
Constraint Oriented
Colton (blood group)
Constant Observation (medical care)
Convert Out
Colombia
Commanding Officer
Combined Operations (gaming)
Contracting Officer
Chief Operator
Core Operation(s)
Complement (mathematics, astronomy)
Comitissa (Latin: Countess, Codices And Manuscripts)
Chosen Overseer
Air Post Official (Scott Catalogue prefix; philately)
Columbia Orchestra (Ellicott City, MD)
Carbon Monoxide
Commitment to Perform (common feature; Capability Maturity Model Integration)
Colchester (postcode, United Kingdom)
Current Operations
Community Outreach
Communications Officer
.CO (Internet country code top-level domain)
Checkout
Certificate of Occupancy
Colorado (US postal abbreviation)
Compliance
Consoleone (Novell GUI)
Captain Obvious
Commissioned Officer
Caucasian Ovtcharka (dog breed)
Chill Out
Command Output
Compliance Officer
Clothes Optional
Compliance Order
Colonial Office (UK)
Cutoff
Call-Out
Combat (game, Natural Selection)
Certificate of Origin
Compañía (Spanish)
Complain Of
Consolidated Obligation
Cellular One
Contracting Official
Conan O’Brien
Como (Lombardia, Italy)
Carbon Monoxide gas (poisonous gas and product of incomplete combustion of carbon cobalt)
Overall, ℅ stands for care of. This slang term is used on paperwork, an envelope or package to signify that the addressee’s name is not who is normally at said address.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.