as the abbreviated form of the Latin phrase exempli gratia dates back to the 1680’s. It was a re-Latinization of the earlier English word essample, which came to English by way of the Old French essemple, “sample, model, example.” The new spelling brought the word closer to the original Latin spelling of exemplum. to give or be an example of The History and Origin of the WordĮxample first appeared as an English word in the late 14th century. an instance, especially of punishment, serving as a warning to others: an instance illustrating a rule or method, as a mathematical problem proposed for solution.ĥ. an instance serving for illustration specimen:Ĥ.

a pattern or model, as of something to be imitated or avoided:ģ. one of a number of things, or a part of something, taken to show the character of the whole:Ģ. There are various definitions of the word example. Incorrect: When shopping for Christmas, remember to buy gifts, e.g., chocolate, cards, flowers, etc. It’s not appropriate to add et cetera (etc.) at the end of a list with e.g. The child had various items in his rucksack, e.g., books, a water bottle, a ruler, and an eraser. is written with a comma before and after, when it appears mid-sentence. The doctor brought with him some official documents, for example, notes, prescriptions, and articles.Ĭapitalize the first letter of Latin term when it appears at the beginning of a sentence.Į.g. It’s more appropriate to write “for example” in formal communications. Remember to include the periods after both e and g. It’s used in high-speed writing instead of the whole phrase.

This abbreviation can be used in informal documents and headlines. There is a widespread belief that junk food causes lifestyle diseases, e.g., heart failure and obesity. It can be used interchangeably with “for example” and “such as.”

The thieves carried away all the electronics, e.g., radios, phones, and laptops. The abbreviation is used to introduce examples of something mentioned previously. It’s one of the most commonly used abbreviations, and is often confused with Latin phrase id est (i.e.), which means “in other words.” The phrase id est may also mean “that is.” would be used to replace the phrase “for example. There is one common abbreviation for the word example, derived from the Latin words exempli gratia:

What are abbreviations for words called