Latin Abbreviations Decoded

"Et cetera" literally means "and the rest" or "and other things" in Latin — "et" means "and" and "cetera" means "the rest." It's one of the most used Latin phrases in everyday English writing.

"A.m." stands for "ante meridiem," which is Latin for "before midday." Its partner "p.m." stands for "post meridiem" — after midday.

"E.g." stands for "exempli gratia," which means "for the sake of example" in Latin. A helpful memory trick: think "e.g." = "example given."

"I.e." stands for "id est," which means "that is" in Latin. It introduces a restatement or clarification — unlike "e.g.," which introduces an example. Think of it as "in other words."

"R.I.P." stands for "Requiescat in pace," which translates to "May he/she rest in peace." The phrase has been used on Christian tombstones since at least the 8th century.

"Vs." is an abbreviation of the Latin word "versus," meaning "against" or "turned toward." It comes from the past participle of "vertere" (to turn) and is used in English in sports, law, and comparisons.

"N.B." stands for "nota bene," which means "note well" in Latin. Teachers and writers use it to flag something the reader should pay special attention to.

"P.S." stands for "post scriptum," Latin for "written after." It refers to something added after the main letter was signed — a tradition that dates back centuries before word processors made editing easy.

"Q.E.D." stands for "quod erat demonstrandum," meaning "which was to be demonstrated." Mathematicians and philosophers have used it since ancient Greece to signal that a proof is complete.

"A.D." stands for "Anno Domini," Latin for "in the year of the Lord." It does NOT mean "after death" — that is a very common misconception! Years before Christ are labeled B.C.

"Ibid." is an abbreviation of "ibidem," Latin for "in the same place." Scholars use it in footnotes to avoid repeating the full citation when referring to the same source twice in a row.

"Et al." stands for "et alii" (or "et aliae" for women), meaning "and others" in Latin. It saves space in academic citations when a paper has many authors — only the first is named, followed by "et al."

"Viz." is an abbreviation of "videlicet," meaning "it is permitted to see" or more practically "namely." It is used much like "i.e." but specifically introduces a complete list of what was mentioned.

"Cf." stands for "confer," a Latin imperative meaning "compare" or "consult." It invites the reader to look at another source for a contrasting or related view, rather than a direct support.

"Sic" is the Latin word for "thus" or "so." Writers insert [sic] inside a quotation to show that an odd spelling or apparent error appeared in the original text — they copied it faithfully and are not responsible for the mistake.