I noticed the word “i.e.”in Reed”s picture, and here is my sharing of the usage of two Latin abbreviations.
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What’s the difference between i.e. and e.g.?
They may be small, but their power to befuddle writers and speakers of the English language is mighty.
The term
i.e. is a shortening of the Latin expression
id est, which translates to “that is.” It is used to introduce a rephrasing or elaboration on something that has already been stated.
The term
e.g. is an abbreviation of the Latin expression
exempli gratia, meaning “for the sake of example” or more colloquially, “for example.” This term is used to introduce examples of something that has already been stated.
Examples using i.e. and e.g.
Here is an example using
i.e.
- “I like citrus fruits, i.e., the juicy, edible fruits with leathery, aromatic rinds.”
In this example,
i.e. introduces an elaboration on citrus fruits.
Here is an example using
e.g.
- “I like citrus fruits, e.g., tangerines, lemons, and limes.”
In this example,
e.g. introduces examples of citrus fruits.