i.e.

Q: What is the difference between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'?

I.e. and e.g. are both abbreviations of Latin phrases . I.e. stands for id est , which means "that is." It introduces a rewording or a clarification, as in "The cough may last for a short period of time—i.e., three to five days." E.g. stands for exempli gratia , which means "for example." It introduces one or more examples that illustrate something stated, as in "Submit a sample of academic writing—e.g., a dissertation chapter."

Q: Is 'i.e.' capital or lowercase?

Capitalize i.e. only when it is at the beginning of a sentence.

Q: How do you use i.e.?

Use i.e. where the phrases "that is" and "in other words" are appropriate. It is always followed by a comma. For example, "They live in The Big Apple, i.e., New York City."

abbreviation (1)

Save Word

Definition of i.e.

(Entry 1 of 3)

that is

abbreviation (2)

Definition of IE (Entry 2 of 3)

industrial engineer

-ie

noun suffix

variants: or less commonly -y

Definition of -ie (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : little one : dear little one birdie sonny

2a : one belonging to : one having to do with townie

b : one who is preemie

3 : one of (such) a kind or quality cutie toughie

Frequently Asked Questions About i.e.

What is the difference between i.e. and e.g.?

I.e. and e.g. are both abbreviations of Latin phrases. I.e. stands for id est, which means "that is." It introduces a rewording or a clarification, as in "The cough may last for a short period of time—i.e., three to five days." E.g. stands for exempli gratia, which means "for example." It introduces one or more examples that illustrate something stated, as in "Submit a sample of academic writing—e.g., a dissertation chapter."

Is i.e. capital or lowercase?

Capitalize i.e. only when it is at the beginning of a sentence.

How do you use i.e.?

Use i.e. where the phrases "that is" and "in other words" are appropriate. It is always followed by a comma. For example, "They live in The Big Apple, i.e., New York City."