et al.
What is the opposite of et al.? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.
Abbreviation — And others: used after the first author's name in citations to stand in for the remaining authors of a work.
How to use et al.
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Smith et al. (2020)
as reported by ... et al.
et al., p. 44
Academic and formal; italicisation is not required in most modern styles.
Etymology
A shortening of Latin et alii ('and others', masculine), et aliae (feminine) or et alia (neuter).
Full origin of et al. →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 'et al.' and 'etc.'?
'Et al.' stands for 'and others' and is used for people, chiefly co-authors. 'Etc.' stands for 'and the rest' and is used for things. Writing 'Smith etc.' or 'apples et al.' reverses them wrongly.
Where does the full stop go in 'et al.'?
After 'al' only. 'Et' is a complete Latin word, so it takes no point, while 'al.' is an abbreviation of 'alii' and does. 'Et. al.' and 'et al' without the stop are both incorrect in formal citation.
When should you use 'et al.' in a citation?
It depends on the style. APA uses it for works with three or more authors from the first citation onward; MLA uses it for three or more; many science journals use it for more than three. Check the style guide, and always name the first author before it.
