Latin Abbreviations in English
Many Latin abbreviations are still used in English today, though usually in writing. This page lists some of the more common Latin abbreviations, with meanings and explanations. Although you may not need to use Latin abbreviations yourself, it's useful to be able to recognise them.
Here are seven Latin abbreviations that you have certainly seen and probably know because we use these ones all the time. Their full forms and meanings are given below.
- A.M., P.M. / B.A., B.Sc. / e.g., i.e. / P.S.
- A.D. (anno domini): in the year of the Lord
- ad inf., ad infin. (ad infinitum): to infinity
- A.M. (ante meridiem): before midday
- B.A. (Baccalaureus Artium): Bachelor of Arts
- B.D. (Baccalaureus Divinitatis): Bachelor of Divinity
- B.L. (Baccalaureus Legum): Bachelor of Law
- B.Lit. (Baccalaureus Lit[t]erarum): Bachelor of Literature (or Letters)
- B.M. (Baccalaureus Medicinae): Bachelor of Medicine
- B.Mus. (Baccalaureus Musicae): Bachelor of Music
- B.Phil. (Baccalaureus Philosophiae): Bachelor of Philosophy
- B.S., B.Sc. (Baccalaureus Scientiae): Bachelor of Science
- c., circ.: circa
- cf. (confer): compare
- D.D. (Divinitatis Doctor): Doctor of Divinity
- D.G. (Dei Gratia): By the grace of God
- D.Lit. (Doctor Litterarum): Doctor of Literature
- D.M. (Doctor Medicinae): Doctor of Medicine
- D.V. (Deo volente): God willing
- e.g. (exempli gratia): for example
- et al. (et alii, et alia): and others
- etc. (et cetera): and the rest, and so forth
- et seq. (et sequens, et sequentes, et sequentia): and the following
- id. (idem): the same
- i.e. (id est): that is
- lb. (libra): pound
- M.A. (Magister Artium): Master of Arts
- M.D. (Medicinae Doctor): Doctor of Medicine
- M.O. (modus operandi): method of operating
- N.B. (Nota bene): Note well
- no. (numero): by number
- non obst. (non obstante): notwithstanding
- non seq. (non sequitur): it does not follow
- p.d. (per diem): by the day
- p.a.: per annum
- Ph.D. (Philosophiae Doctor): Doctor of Philosophy
- P.M. (post meridiem): after midday
- P.S. (post scriptum): written after
- Q.E.D.: quod erat demonstrandum
- R. (rex, regina): King, Queen
- R.I.P. (Requiescat in pace): Rest in peace
- sic (sic erat scriptum): thus was it written
- v., vs.: versus
- vox pop. (vox populi): the voice of the people