The Latin word “et alia,” meaning “and others,” is shortened to “et al.” in English. When this clause is included in a property deed, it means that the list of goods or people included in the deed is not exhaustive.
Many additional circumstances use the abbreviation “et al.” as well. It is used in bibliographic entries and citations, especially when referencing a work with a long list of authors. When citing many authors in a footnote, only the first author’s name is given, followed by “et al.”
It is possible to use “etc.” as a substitute for “et al.” Et cetera is a common abbreviation used to imply “and other things,” derived from the Latin phrase et cetera.
