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The Latin abbreviations et al. and etc. are commonly confused words, but they don’t mean the same thing!
This article will help you understand the difference between et al. and etc. so you can make sure to always get them right when using them.
Read on for more information about what each of these abbreviations means, how they’re used, and examples of their usage in sentences.
Table of Contents
What Does Et Al. Mean?
The abbreviation et al. is short for et alia (neutral), which is Latin for “and others.” The masculine version of the Latin is et alii and the feminine version is et aliæ.
It is used to refer to a list of people, not things. It’s often used in academic writing in bibliographies for works with several authors to avoid having to list a long sequence of names.
Note that there is no period after et, but there should be a period after al. because it’s an abbreviation. It should be lowercase and written in roman type.
How to Use Et Al. in Chicago Style
For footnotes, Chicago style recommends only listing the name of the first author, followed by et al. with no intervening comma.
- Oranit B. Davidson et al., “Sabbatical Leave: Who Gains and How Much?,” Journal of Applied Psychology 95, no. 5 (2010): 953–64.
For bibliographies, if there are between four and ten names, Chicago recommends listing them all.
- Freeman, Michael A., Paige J. Staudenmaier, Mackenzie R. Zisser, and Lisa Abdilova Andresen. “The Prevalence and Co-Occurrence of Psychiatric Conditions among Entrepreneurs and Their Families.” Small Business Economics 53, no. 2 (May 11, 2018): 323–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-018-0059-8.
This article has four authors so they should all be named in the bibliography.
If there are more than ten names, only the first seven should be listed, followed by et al.
- Davidson, Oranit B., Dov Eden, Mina Westman, Yochi Cohen-Charash, Leslie B. Hammer, Avraham N. Kluger, Moshe Krausz, et al. “Sabbatical Leave: Who Gains and How Much?” Journal of Applied Psychology 95, no. 5 (2010): 953–64. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020068.
This journal article has thirteen authors, but only seven should be listed if using Chicago style.
For in-text citations of books with four or more authors, Chicago recommends citing only the last name of the first-listed author, followed by et al.
- (Davidson et al., 2010)
Other referencing styles may offer different recommendations.
What Does Etc. Mean?
The abbreviation etc. stands for et cetera, which is Latin for “and the rest” or “and other things.” It implies that the list is too long to continue reciting. It’s best used with lists of related items where the unlisted items are easily discerned. It’s acceptable to use etc. in formal prose, but CMOS recommends only using it in parentheses, notes, and tables.
In a sentence, etc. should be preceded by a comma, but it should only be followed by a comma if required by the surrounding text. The word etc. is always followed by a period, but you do not need to add another period if it occurs at the end of a sentence. It should be lowercase and written in roman type.
It’s redundant to write “and etc.” because the “et” in “et cetera” means “and.”
Examples of Etc. in a Sentence
- The grocery store sells raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. if you need to buy some fresh berries.
- Pepperoni, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, etc. are just some of the toppings you can get on your pizza.
Do You Use Etc. with E.g.?
If you start a list with e.g., there’s no need to put etc. at the end of the list because e.g. already implies that the list is not complete.
Can You Use Etc. to Refer to People?
The Chicago Manual of Style says that etc. should never be used in reference to people.
Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage allows the use of etc. in reference to people and uses the following example: “The Duke of A, Lord B, Mr. C, etc. are patrons.” However, under the listing for et al., it mentions that et al. is “appropriately used for references to people; for other categories etc. is preferable.”
More Grammar Posts
Final Thoughts on the Difference between Etc. and Et Al.
There are lots of Latin abbreviations used in everyday conversations and written prose in the English language, so it’s easy to get them confused. In a nutshell, et al. means “and others” and should be used when listing people, while etc. means “and the rest” and should be used when listing things.
Are you never sure when to use e.g. vs. i.e.? I cover the difference between them here!
