e.g.
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Exempli gratia (for example) |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Writing & Everyday, Geography & Places |
| Also written | EG |
e.g. has two meanings. It stands for Exempli gratia (for example) (Latin) or Egypt (country code).
Meanings of e.g. at a glance
| # | e.g. stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exempli gratia (for example) | Writing & Everyday › Latin |
| 2 | Egypt | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. Exempli gratia (for example)
Writing & Everyday · Latin Abbreviations
Introduces one or more examples drawn from a larger set, so the list that follows is illustrative rather than complete. It belongs mainly in parentheses, notes, tables and informal writing; formal prose often prefers "for example" or "such as."
Example: Bring something warm for the evening hike (e.g., a fleece, a hat or gloves).
Read aloud as "for example," not as the letters. American style guides (Chicago, AP, MLA) put a comma after it; British usage, including Oxford and the Guardian, usually omits the comma and sometimes the periods (eg). Because it already signals an incomplete list, ending the list with "etc." is redundant. A common memory aid: e.g. means "example given," while i.e. means "in essence."
2. Egypt (EG)
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
Egypt controls the Suez Canal, a key route for global seaborne trade, and uses EGY as its alpha-3 code and EGP for its pound. Cairo is the capital.
Example: Suez Canal transit records list EG as the coastal state.
A New Administrative Capital east of Cairo has been under construction since 2015. EG also means for example in some informal writing, though e.g. is standard.
Related abbreviations
More Latin abbreviations
- d. – Denarius (penny)
- D.G. – Dei gratia (by the grace of God)
- D.V. – Deo volente (God willing)
- del. – Delineavit (drew it)
- et al. – Et alii (and others)
- et seq. – Et sequens (and what follows)
- etc. – Et cetera (and the rest)
- ex lib. – Ex libris (from the books of)
See all 53 Latin abbreviations →