Latin was the universal academic language in Europe up until the late 1700s. However Latin is not a dead language — it is very much alive in the modern, twitter-obsessed world. We use Latin every single day without really thinking about it, i.e., we use Latin abbreviations in conversation, correspondence, and formal writing, e.g., in term papers, articles, blog posts, scholarly works, etc. But how many actually know what the abbreviations stand for? Here is a list of common Latin abbreviations and their meaning.
A.M. – ante meridian: before midday
c., ca., – circa: around or about
cf. or cp. – confer: compare
C.V. – curriculum vitae: course of life
ead. – eadem: the same (woman) [feminine form of ibid.]
et al. – et alii: and others
etc. – et cetera: and the others, and the rest
e.g., – exampli gratia: for example, for instance
ibid. – ibidem: the same (man)
i.e. – id est: that is, in other words
M.O. – modus operandi: method of operating
op. cit. – opere citato: the work cited
P.M. – post meridiem: after midday
P.S. – post scriptum: after what has been written
Re – in re: in the matter of, concerning
R.I.P. – requiescat in pace: may he or she rest in peace
Sic – sic erat scriptum: thus it is written
stat. – statim: immediately
viz. – videlicet: namely, that is to say
vs. or v. – versus: against
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