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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

  Eastern time.
• ET
  ET

  abbreviation

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

et

¹ American  

[et] / ɛt /

verb

Nonstandard: Chiefly North Atlantic, South Midland, and Southern U.S.

1. a simple past tense of eat.

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et ² American  

[et] / ɛt /

conjunction

Latin.

1. and.

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Et ³ American  

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. ethyl.

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-et ⁴ American  

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

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e.t. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. electrical transcription.

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E.T. ⁶ American  

Or ET

abbreviation

1. Eastern time.

2. extraterrestrial.

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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)

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-et ² British  

suffix

1. small or lesser

   islet

   baronet

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Et ³ British  

symbol

1. ethyl

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et ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. Ethiopia

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Etymology

Origin of -et

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

et Et -et E.T. ET

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

Madison, Hamilton, et al. would wonder at our credulous view of human nature.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Antiqua et Nova, a doctrinal note of the Catholic Church published in January of 2025, uses the term “human person.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

"Ripple et al. argued that carnivore recovery produced one of the world's strongest trophic cascades," said Dr. Daniel MacNulty, lead author of the new analysis and a wildlife ecologist at Utah State University.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 14, 2026

“Oui, non, et non,” I say in response to each question.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

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

There’s also a pizza oven imported from Naples that he and Belgian chef Claudio Pirollo of the nearby Et Voila restaurant used to cook together.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 10, 2023

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

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

There are also at least two past participles in -et, as slenget, 1923, grethet, 2615, to which add weddeth, beddeth, 1127, In l. 2057, knawed seems put for knawen, for the rime’s sake.

From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown

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

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

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 Wright, Joseph

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 Clark, Walter John

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 Clark, Walter John

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

Sir Chris, who was first inspired to take up cycling by the famous BMX scenes in the film E.T., had won six Olympic, 11 world and 43 World Cup titles by the time he retired.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2024

One clear sense in which ideas of UAPs are wrong is that non-human intelligence doesn't necessarily mean E.T. from another planet.

From Salon ● May 22, 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: 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

Scotland's match against Morocco is on Friday at 18:00 ET or 23:00 BST.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

The British say ET, but we say EIGHT.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner