Etc. vs. Et al.: What’s the difference?

What “etc.” means

Whether you’re saying it aloud or writing the abbreviation, etc. is pronounced et cetera. In the Latin language, et translates to “and,” and cetera means “the rest.” You may see or use “etc.” when referring to lists of things that are too long for you to say or write. The phrase is used to imply that there are other things in the list’s category that can be implied. For example, if you’re referring to the colors of the rainbow, you may say:

My shirt includes all the colors of the rainbow, such as red, orange, yellow, green, etc.

In that sentence, “etc.” is used in place of the remaining of the colors of the rainbow (blue, indigo, and violet). If your target audience hears or reads that sentence can safely infer that meaning because it’s already clear that your shirt contains all the rainbow colors. The reader is left to fill in the blanks based on what colors aren’t listed.

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“Et al.” definition

You’re not alone if you’ve confused et al. with etc. when you write or speak. While both Latin phrases are similar in meaning, “et al.” is typically used in a more specific manner than “etc.” In Latin, et means “and” just like it does when used in etc. The al. is what differentiates this phrase. “Al.” is an abbreviation for the words, alia, alii, or aliae, which all are different gender spellings for the word “others.”

If you’re ever written a research paper or have read a peer reviewed journal, you might have noticed et al. used in the bibliography or list of sources referenced. That’s because “et al.” only refers to people. For example, if you’re naming the kids in a large family, you might say:

Mike and Carol had six kids named Greg, Marcia, Peter, et al.

In this sentence, et al. refers to the other Brady kids that weren’t listed: Jan, Bobby, and Cindy. Whether you’re listing people you know or are listing a long list of authors for a source you’re using, “et al.” can save you a great deal of time writing out a ton of different names.

When to use “etc.” vs. “et al.”

Both Latin phrases are used when writing or talking about lists. “Et al.” is used to reference other people not specifically named in your list. “Etc.” is used when listing groups of nouns and adjectives. Other examples of how to use both phrases are:

The bakery had a large variety of donut flavors, like chocolate, jelly, glazed, etc.
In this sentence, “etc.” is used to list the abundance of other flavors the bakery offers without listing them all.

The authors of the clinical study are Jane Doe, John Doe, Billy Bob, John Johnson, et al.
This sentence uses “et al.” to list the other authors of the clinical study that aren’t specifically mentioned.

Members of the football team, John, Bob, Mike, et al., gave the fans different flavored popsicles, like cherry, blue raspberry, lime, etc.
This example uses both Latin phrases. “Et al.” is used as a placement for the other members of the football team. “Etc.” is used to describe the rest of the popsicle flavors offered to fans.

“Etc.” and “et al.” aren’t the only commonly misused words and phrases in the complex English language. No matter the origin of the phrase, it’s easy to get words that sound alike, have close spellings, or have similar meanings mixed up. Learn the differences between commonly confused words and phrases so that you can speak and write clearly.