rc file /R-C fi:l/ n.
[Unix: from `runcom files' on
the CTSS system 1962-63, via the startup script
/etc/rc
] Script file containing startup instructions for an
application program (or an entire operating system), usually a text
file containing commands of the sort that might have been invoked
manually once the system was running but are to be executed
automatically each time the system starts up. See also dot file, profile (sense 1).