et alii

1 8.2

Used after a name to show other people are included in academic writing

idiom
/ɛt ˈɑːliː/

Formal

: et alii

The study conducted by Brown et alii provides further evidence for the theory.

Examples

The research conducted by Smith et alii provides valuable insights.
This method has been tested by Kim et alii over several decades.
The research paper by Johnson et alii was highly influential in the field.
Jones, et alii, found similar results in their study.
In the research paper, the findings of Smith et alii provide new insights into climate change.
The project was completed by Johnson et alii, demonstrating impressive teamwork and dedication.
The study conducted by Patel et alii highlights the importance of early intervention in education.

Synonyms

et al.

vset alii

Formal

122 5.6

Put after a name to mean 'and others', often in academic writing

is the full Latin phrase often written in its abbreviated form

et aliae

vset alii

Formal

9.9

Shows there are other women authors listed with a name in a reference list

is the regular plural used in citation lists rather than a feminine form

Surface Forms

et alii positive

et al. positive

Morphology

et + alii

The phrase is literally Latin composition: 'et' = 'and' + 'alii' = 'others', so the meaning 'and others' is directly and compositionally derived from the constituents and matches its citation use (often abbreviated 'et al.'). Although the constituents are Latin rather than English, a learner who knows those words would immediately infer the MWE's meaning; the construction is also internationally used in many languages, supporting transparency.

Etymology

Et alii comes from old Latin words et and alii, which together mean 'and others'. Writers now use et alii, often written et al., when they name some people but want to include the rest without writing every name, so it means 'and others' today.