Although Latin is often said to be a dead language it is the foundation of most modern languages today and English is no exception. Many of us use Latin phrases – or their abbreviated forms – every day of our working lives without thinking twice about it. But misuse is commonplace so, with thanks to www.grammarly.com – the brilliant website for grammar nerds like me – here are the meanings of some commonly used (and abused) Latin abbreviations:
| Abbreviation | In full | Literal meaning | Everyday use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eg | Exempli gratia | For the sake of example | For example |
| Etc | Et cetera | And the rest | And so on/and the rest |
| ie | Id est | It is/That is | When we want to explain or clarify something – not when we want to list examples |
| Pa | Per annum | Each year | Often used in a financial context to describe something that happens every year |
| Re | In re | In the matter of | Originally used in legal documents but now in widespread business use to denote the topic of a communication |
| AM and PM | Ante meridiem/
Post meridiem |
Before noon/
After noon |
Depending on your organisation’s style guide, these abbreviations can be expressed as ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m.’, ‘AM’ and ‘PM’ or ‘am’ and ‘pm’. (Personally, I believe in keeping it simple and losing the superfluous punctuation) |
| MO | Modus operandi | Method of operating | If you watch a lot of TV crime shows you will know this phrase is often used to describe a criminal’s methodology – but there are plenty of other instances when it could also be used. |
How many did you already know? We’re sure you can add to this list so why not share your favourites with us!
