Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

rc
     
        1.  (run commands) The {filename
        extension} common to many {Unix} configuration files, e.g.
        {.newsrc}, {.cshrc}, {.twmrc}, elmrc, etc.
     
        The suffix "rc" derives from a script-creation utility in
        {CTSS} called "{runcom}" (for "run commands").
     
        {Unix FAQ
       
     (http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/unix-faq/faq/top.html)}.
     
        2. A {shell} from {AT&T}'s {Plan 9}, by Tom Duff.  rc offers
        much the same capabilities as a traditional {Bourne shell},
        but with a much cleaner {syntax}.
     
        An open source reimplementation was made by Byron Rakitzis,
        and is now maintained by Tim Goodwin .
     
        Latest version: 1.6, as of 2000-06-15.
     
        {Home (http://www.star.le.ac.uk/~tjg/rc)}.
     
        (2000-06-17)