GC

What Does GC Mean?

The Quick Answer

GC most commonly means "Group Chat." However, it also has a number of other meanings, including "Good Condition," "Good Call," "Gay Couple," and "Garbage Collect."

Group Chat

Many instant messaging services, such as WhatsApp, have a chat feature that allows users to send a message to multiple contacts within a group. This is known as "group chat" (often abbreviated to GC). It is typically used by family groups, groups of friends, or clubs.

Sam: Let's make a group on WhatsApp and start a GC.
Ali: Great idea! But, I'm the only friend you've got.

Good Condition

GC is commonly seen on sites such as eBay and Gumtree, as well as in classified advertisements in newspapers, where it is used to indicate that an item offered for sale is in "good condition." For example:

Lee: How can they claim this is in GC? The fan doesn't work.
Jo: What is it?
Lee: A fan!

GC contrasts with the following terms, which indicate the sale item is in perfect condition:

BNIB - Brand New In Box.
BNWOT - Brand New Without Tags.
BNWT - Brand New With Tags.
LNIB - Like New In Box.
NIB - New In Box.

Good Call

In general online chat and in text messaging, GC means "good call" and expresses approval of a decision or suggestion. It is like giving a verbal (or typed) thumbs up. For example:

Jordan: I'm not drinking tonight. Need to be on the ball for the exam tomorrow.
Jay: GC! I'll join you.

Gay Couple

GC is used on online dating sites, such as Craigslist, Tinder, Zoosk and Match.com, with the meaning "gay couple." In this context it indicates the sexual orientation of users of the site.

Check out our comprehensive glossary of dating terms.

Garbage Collect

In computing, GC is with the meaning "garbage collect" (or "garbage collection"). This is a process of memory management by which memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use by a program is reclaimed. Until the early 2000s, the process of GC was something programmers had to do with code during runtime. However, it is now generally an automatic procedure.

Image for GC

When I write GC, I mean this:

GC also means "Good Condition," "Good Call," "Gay Couple," and "Garbage Collect."

Summary of Key Points

First Definition of GC

"Group Chat" is, by far, the most common meaning for GC when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

GC
Definition:	Group Chat
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Second Definition for GC

"Good Condition" is a widely used definition for GC in classified ads.

GC
Definition:	Good Condition
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Third Definition of GC

"Good Call" is another common definition for GC.

GC
Definition:	Good Call
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Fourth Definition for GC

"Gay Couple" is a definition for GC which is most often noted on online dating sites.

GC
Definition:	Gay Couple
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

Fifth Definition for GC

"Garbage Collect" (or "Garbage Collection") is a definition for GC used in computing.

GC
Definition:	Garbage Collect
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at GC

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

GC is classified as an initialism abbreviation, as it is pronounced one letter at a time. Other examples of initialisms are AI ("Artificial Intelligence") and EW Initialisms contrast with acronyms, which are spoken like words (e.g., NASA, NATO).