Latin terms and abbreviations

Follow the guidelines below when using Latin terms and abbreviations.

On this page

• When to use italics with Latin terms
  • Latin terms that are always italicized
• How to write abbreviations for Latin terms
  • Roman type with Latin abbreviations
  • Periods with Latin abbreviations

When to use italics with Latin terms

Latin terms or phrases may be printed in either roman or italic type, depending on the degree to which the term has been assimilated into English.

Roman type is used for Latin terms in widespread use in English:

• ad nauseam
• ad infinitum
• add a caveat, come with a caveat

In contrast, italics are used for less familiar terms:

• ad interim italicized (for the meantime)
• Caveat emptor italicized (Let the buyer beware)

If you’re unsure whether to italicize a specific term, the easiest solution is to check the Canadian Oxford Dictionary; if the term is normally italicized, it will be italicized in the dictionary entry.

Latin terms that are always italicized

The following Latin reference terms are always italicized:

How to write abbreviations for Latin terms

The guidelines for writing Latin abbreviations are different from those governing Latin terms.

Roman type with Latin abbreviations

In non-legal writing, the abbreviations for Latin expressions are generally printed in roman type, even when the full term is italicized. The table below shows some of the most common examples:

Periods with Latin abbreviations

When a Latin abbreviation consists of two abbreviated terms, a period follows each abbreviated term, as in the following examples:

• e.g.
• i.e.
• loc. cit.
• op. cit.
• q.v.

Note that there’s no space after the first period in the abbreviations e.g., i.e. and q.v.

Terms that never require periods

The following Latin terms are not abbreviations and are never followed by a period unless they’re placed at the end of a sentence: