What's ‘etc.’ an abbreviation of (and what does it mean)? – Microsoft 365 (2024)

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > What’s ‘etc.’ an abbreviation of (and what does it mean)?

February 02, 2023

You’ve probably seen “etc.” used countless times, but do you know what it means and how to use it correctly? Mastering this frequently used abbreviation is a must for excellent reading comprehension and writing—after all, you don’t want to confuse your readers.

What does “etc.” mean?

While Latin is considered a dead language, its influence still lives on in English. “Etc.” is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase “et cetera.” In Latin, “et” means “and.” The word “cetera” means “the rest.” It’s pronounced, “et SET uh ruh.” The abbreviation “etc.” is used more frequently in writing than the full phrase.

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“Etc.” can be used at the end of a list to mean “and so forth” or to represent additional unspecified additional items or persons.¹ This common phrase is favored by writers, so they don’t have to list everything they are referring to.

How to use “etc.” in a sentence

While using “etc.” in a sentence, or even if you are writing out the full phrase “et cetera,” it’s important to only use it after listing items that are in the same category. Otherwise, your sentence will be confusing. “Etc.” must also always have a period at the end of it, even if “etc.” is inserted in the middle of a sentence. Here are sentences that use “etc.” incorrectly:

Please bring caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, water, etc.

This sentence incorrectly uses “etc.” because water does not fall under the category of caffeinated beverages.

She loves wine, like cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, beer, etc.

The sentence above does not use “etc.” correctly because beer is not a type of wine.

It’s also important to note that “etc.” cannot be used when listing the names of people. This sentence would be incorrect:

The dinner was attended by my friends John, Mary, Taylor, etc.

When listing people, “et al.” must be used instead of “etc.” You may have seen this abbreviation before if you’ve ever read a study or research paper. “Et al.” is short for “et alii” in Latin, meaning “and others.”²

“Etc.” can be used to list unspecified people. For example: All the doctors—cardiologists, neurologists, etc.—were asked to come into the hospital on Christmas.

It’s important to note that when you are using “etc.” in a sentence, you need to list at least two things. This is an example of “etc.” used incorrectly in a sentence: Susan brought all the cakes, etc. to the party.

In the above sentence, it’s not clear what other items Susan brought to the party. A correct sentence would be: Susan brought all the cakes, cookies, etc. to the party. This sentence makes it clearer that Susan brought desserts to the party.

Now that we’ve discussed how not to use “etc.” in a sentence, here are some examples of it used correctly in a sentence:

• Chihuahuas, pugs, corgis, etc. are allowed in the small dog area of the dog park.
• He is allergic to animals with fur—dogs, cats, etc.
• I’ve been trying not to eat ice cream, chips, etc. because I’m on a diet.

“Etc.” in formal writing

It’s agreed that “etc.” shouldn’t be used in formal writing—reserve it for informal writing only.³ It’s OK to use “etc.” in a blog post, message to a friend, or social media post, but exclude it from essays, research papers, or resumes. Using “etc.” may come across as lazy or vague in formal settings. Instead of using “etc.”, try using words or phrases like:

• And so on
• And the like
• Along with others
• Including
• Such as
• And so forth

Keep in mind that by replacing “etc.” in formal writing with another word or phrase, you may find that you need to restructure the sentence entirely. For example, the sentence “She cuts long hair, short hair, thin hair, etc.” may need to become “She cuts all hair types, including long, short, and thin hair.”

Now that you know what “et cetera” means and how to correctly use “etc.”, you can write better, clearer sentences.

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