ad inf.
Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Latin
| Stands for | Ad infinitum (to infinity) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Writing & Everyday |
ad inf. stands for Ad infinitum (to infinity), a Latin abbreviation.
Describes something that continues endlessly or repeats without limit. Mathematicians use it for infinite sequences, and general writers use it for processes that seem never-ending.
Example: The series 1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 and so on ad inf. adds up to exactly 2.
Usage notes
The abbreviation is uncommon; the full phrase ad infinitum is far more frequent in English prose. It is often confused with ad nauseam, "to the point of nausea," which adds a sense of tedium. Philosophers describe an infinite regress as one that continues ad infinitum. Pronounced "ad in-fih-NYE-tum."
Related abbreviations
More Latin abbreviations
- a.m. – Ante meridiem (before midday)
- a.u.c. – Ab urbe condita (from the founding of the city)
- AD – Anno Domini (in the year of the Lord)
- ad lib. – Ad libitum (at one's pleasure)
- aet. – Aetatis (aged, at the age of)
- c. – Circa (around, approximately)
- cet. par. – Ceteris paribus (other things being equal)
- cf. – Confer (compare)
- CV – Curriculum vitae (course of life)
- d. – Denarius (penny)
- D.G. – Dei gratia (by the grace of God)
- D.V. – Deo volente (God willing)