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  • et
    et
    verb
    a simple past tense of eat.
  • Et
    Et
    ethyl.
  • -et
    -et
    a noun suffix having properly a diminutive force (now lost in many words): chalet; islet; owlet; tablet.
  • e.t.
    e.t.
    abbreviation
    electrical transcription.
  • E.T.
    E.T.
    abbreviation
  • ET
    ET
    abbreviation
    Employment Training: a government scheme offering training in technological and business skills to unemployed people
Synonyms

et

1 American  
[et] / ɛt /

verb

Nonstandard: Chiefly North Atlantic, South Midland, and Southern U.S.
  1. a simple past tense of eat.


et 2 American  
[et] / ɛt /

conjunction

Latin.
  1. and.


Et 3 American  
Symbol, Chemistry.
  1. ethyl.


-et 4 American  
  1. a noun suffix having properly a diminutive force (now lost in many words): chalet; islet; owlet; tablet.


e.t. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. electrical transcription.


E.T. 6 American  
Or ET
ET 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. Employment Training: a government scheme offering training in technological and business skills to unemployed people

  2. Egypt (international car registration)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

-et 2 British  

suffix

  1. small or lesser

    islet

    baronet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Et 3 British  

symbol

  1. ethyl

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

et 4 British  

abbreviation

  1. Ethiopia

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of -et

Middle English, from Old French -et (masculine), -ette (feminine)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Former Disney head honcho Bob Iger, et al., owning the Lakers?

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 15, 2026

“We can’t predict what will happen next in it, and that could affect the market’s perception, IPOs, et cetera,” said Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 14, 2026

While Pele, Messi et al are rightly regarded as the best male players ever, Fontaine is now a piece of trivia.

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

The findings were published in Physical Review Letters in a paper titled "Resonant magnetophonon emission by supersonic electrons in ultrahigh-mobility two-dimensional systems," by Michael Hilke et al.

From Science Daily Jul. 2, 2026

But he makes everybody keep mum about what he finds there on account he wants et tae be this greet surprise at the wedding.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Jarunee Phosawad came from Roi Et in eastern Thailand to oversee the cremation of her cousin Kochaporn Sotharat's body and the return home of her ashes.

From Barron's Jul. 14, 2026

It was like, “Oh why, God. Et tu, Jeff?”

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 11, 2025

On Tuesday morning, Jeff Clark, an assistant attorney in the Trump administration, wrote on Twitter: "Disappointing. Et tu Chik-fil-a?"

From Salon Jun. 1, 2023

This especially pleases Midwest chauvinists, who have had to contend with curdled despisers from — Et tu, Brute? — the Midwest.

From Washington Post Dec. 30, 2022

Et tu, Ammu?she thought and smiled, remembering Estha.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

The same is the case with the superadded syllables: -kin being Saxon; -et Norman.

From A Handbook of the English Language by R. G. (Robert Gordon) Latham

The verbs belonging to this class form their preterite in -ete and their past participle in -et.

From A Middle High German Primer Third Edition by Joseph Wright

Instead of -eth we even find -et, as in herknet, 1.

From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown

Esperant‑o, Esperanto. est‑i, to be. -et, suffix denoting little. etend‑i, to stretch.

From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Walter John Clark

To sleep = dorm‑i; suf. -et denotes light sleep; pref. ek- denotes beginning. 7Distracting.

From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Walter John Clark

From the friendly alien at the heart of E.T. to the mysterious visitors in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, some of his most celebrated films have explored humanity's fascination with life beyond Earth.

From BBC Jun. 4, 2026

Is it worth paying 0.99% a year for an ETF tailor-made for E.T.?

From The Wall Street Journal May 22, 2026

Spielberg, whose "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" remains one of cinema's defining alien stories, told the crowd he had believed since childhood that humanity was not alone in the universe.

From Barron's Mar. 14, 2026

Kaulitz embodied the classic version of the titular alien from Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film, while Klum took on the disguised version of E.T.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 1, 2024

“Just cut from E.T. on Broadway. Life sucks, but at least I’m still named after a river, ” and we titter.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle

ET, but no comment on who I’m rooting for.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 19, 2026

ET: This piece has been updated to reflect a new statement from Mitch McConnell’s office.

From Slate Jul. 2, 2026

ET before participating in policy meetings at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 22, 2026

Remember that, if you’re ever forced to defend yourself from an ET.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 19, 2026

‘What year did ET come out?’ she asks.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

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