etc.
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Et cetera (and the rest) |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Writing & Everyday, Science & Engineering, Transportation & Travel, Technology & Computing, Business & Finance |
| Also written | ETC |
etc. has five meanings. The most common are Et cetera (and the rest) (Latin) and Electron transport chain (biology); it can also stand for Electronic toll collection, Ethereum Classic and Estimate to complete.
Meanings of etc. at a glance
| # | etc. stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Et cetera (and the rest) | Writing & Everyday › Latin |
| 2 | Electron transport chain | Science & Engineering › Biology |
| 3 | Electronic toll collection | Transportation & Travel › Driving |
| 4 | Ethereum Classic | Technology & Computing › Cryptocurrency & Blockchain |
| 5 | Estimate to complete | Business & Finance › Project Management |
1. Et cetera (and the rest)
Writing & Everyday · Latin Abbreviations
Signals that a list continues with further items of the same kind that the reader can infer. It should follow at least two examples and is best kept to lists, tables, notes and informal or technical writing rather than polished prose.
Example: The kit includes brushes, rollers, drop cloths, tape, etc., so there is no need to buy extras.
Pronounced "et SET-er-uh"; the misspelling "ect." and the pronunciation "ex-cetera" are common slips. In American style a comma precedes etc. in a series and follows it mid-sentence, and at the end of a sentence its period doubles as the full stop. Avoid pairing it with e.g. or "such as," and avoid it for people, where et al. fits. The old form "&c." appears in 18th- and 19th-century texts.
2. Electron transport chain (ETC)
Science & Engineering · Biology Abbreviations
Series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane (and in bacterial and chloroplast membranes) that pass electrons from NADH and FADH2 to oxygen. The released energy pumps protons across the membrane, and their flow back through ATP synthase produces most of the cell's ATP.
Example: Cyanide is lethal because it blocks complex IV of the ETC, halting oxygen use.
The mechanism linking electron flow to ATP synthesis, chemiosmosis, was proposed by Peter Mitchell in 1961 and earned him the 1978 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Oxygen is the final electron acceptor, which is why aerobic organisms need to breathe. Students should not confuse it with "etc.," the Latin abbreviation for et cetera.
3. Electronic toll collection (ETC)
Transportation & Travel · Driving Abbreviations
System that charges road and bridge tolls automatically using a windshield transponder or license-plate cameras, without stopping at a booth. Networks include E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak and TxTag.
Example: With ETC, the turnpike toll gets billed to my transponder account and I never slow down.
Many US toll roads have converted to all-electronic, cashless tolling, mailing bills to drivers without transponders at higher rates. Interoperability agreements now let some transponders work across regions. Rental car companies often charge daily fees for using toll transponders. Not to be confused with "etc.," the abbreviation for et cetera.
4. Ethereum Classic (ETC)
Technology & Computing · Cryptocurrency & Blockchain Abbreviations
The original Ethereum blockchain that continued unchanged after the 2016 DAO hack, when most of the community adopted a hard fork reversing the theft and kept the Ethereum name. ETC still uses proof-of-work mining.
Example: Miners moved their GPUs to ETC after Ethereum switched to proof of stake.
Supporters argued that "code is law" and that transactions should never be reversed, even after the theft of about 3.6 million ether from The DAO. ETC suffered several 51 percent attacks in 2020, in which attackers rewrote recent transactions. In everyday writing, etc. means et cetera.
5. Estimate to complete (ETC)
Business & Finance · Project Management Abbreviations
Expected cost to finish the remaining work on a project, calculated as estimate at completion minus actual cost to date, or built bottom-up from fresh estimates.
Example: We've spent $700,000, and the ETC is another $750,000.
Not to be confused with the Latin abbreviation "etc." (et cetera); in project reports ETC is written in capitals without a period.
Related abbreviations
More Latin abbreviations
- del. – Delineavit (drew it)
- e.g. – Exempli gratia (for example)
- et al. – Et alii (and others)
- et seq. – Et sequens (and what follows)
- ex lib. – Ex libris (from the books of)
- F.D. – Fidei defensor (Defender of the Faith)
- fec. – Fecit (made it)
- fl. – Floruit (flourished)
See all 53 Latin abbreviations →