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• IE
  IE

  abbreviation

  Indo-European.
• -ie
  -ie

  The noun-forming suffix -ie, originally the Scottish spelling of -y, first appears about 1400 in pet names and has spread into general usage. It is used to form words that are usually informal (birdie, doggie ), and to form endearing or familiar names (Millie, Susie ) or familiar diminutives (sweetie ).
• i.e.
  i.e.

  abbreviation

  that is; that is to say; in other words.
• I.E.
  I.E.

  abbreviation

  Indo-European.
• ie
  ie

  abbreviation

  Ireland

IE

¹ American  

abbreviation

1. Indo-European.

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-ie ² American  

Also -y

1. The noun-forming suffix -ie, originally the Scottish spelling of -y, first appears about 1400 in pet names and has spread into general usage. It is used to form words that are usually informal (birdie, doggie ), and to form endearing or familiar names (Millie, Susie ) or familiar diminutives (sweetie ).

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i.e. ³ American  

[ahy-ee] / ˈaɪˈi /

abbreviation

1. that is; that is to say; in other words.

   They spent their last day at camp enjoying their two favorite activities, i.e., swimming and ziplining.

   Our writers do a lot of research to avoid anachronisms—i.e., those errors that confuse the times of our stories with later times in history.

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I.E. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Indo-European.

2. Industrial Engineer.

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ie ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Ireland

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i.e. ² British  

abbreviation

1. id est

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IE ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Indo-European (languages)

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-ie ⁴ British  

suffix

1. a variant of -y 2

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i.e. Cultural  

1. An abbreviation for id est, a Latin phrase meaning “that is.” It indicates that an explanation or paraphrase is about to follow: “Many workers expect to put in a forty-hour week — i.e., to work eight hours a day.” (Compare e.g.)

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Usage

What’s the difference between i.e. and e.g.? The abbreviation i.e. essentially means that is or in other words—you say it before rephrasing what you’ve just said, often to put it in simpler terms. The abbreviation e.g. essentially means for example—you say it before providing an example of the thing you’ve just mentioned. Both are abbreviations of Latin phrases: i.e. stands for the Latin id est (which literally means “that is”); e.g. stands for exemplī grātiā (which literally means “for the sake of example”). Both are pronounced by saying the two individual letters in the term. Both are commonly used in writing, but i.e. is much more commonly used in speech—most people don’t often say e.g. when speaking (probably because the phrase for example is so common and well understood). Sometimes, people use them in overlapping ways, but this is technically incorrect, since i.e. is meant to indicate a rephrasing, while e.g. is meant to signal that a specific example is going to be given. Of course, both of these things involve an attempt to make what has just been said a little clearer (by clarifying or specifying), so it can be hard to remember when each one is appropriate. To help remember when to use each one, think of the i in i.e. as standing for in other words. Think of the e in e.g. as standing for example (which it pretty much does). Here’s an example of i.e. and e.g. used correctly in the same sentence. Example: The second sewing lesson (i.e., the one starting next week) will cover several different skills (e.g., sewing on a button and sewing a seam). Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between i.e. and e.g.

Etymology

Origin of i.e.

From Latin id est

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

IE -ie i.e. I.E. ie

Adriel Enriquez collapsed on the soccer field on Feb. 26, while practicing with the Platinum IE soccer club, said his uncle, Joshua Gutierrez in a social media post.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026

Instead, he chose Madrid’s IE University, which now has as many American students as Spaniards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

"A sector so closely tied to international mobility is particularly vulnerable to health, geopolitical, or climate crises," Rafael Pampillon, a professor of economics at IE Business School in Madrid, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

Workplaces are increasingly adopting A.I.-powered management software, which could indirectly influence pay by allocating projects and shifts based on employee data, Antonio Aloisi, an associate professor at IE University Law School in Spain, told me.

From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2024

If the vernier zero is to the right of the zero on the arc, the IE is plus and is to be added to any angle you read to get the correct angle.

From Lectures in Navigation by Ernest Gallaudet Draper

The item was so off the radar, Ms. Swanson Beard says, “we had a hard time deciding if we were going to spell it -ie or -ey.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2015

Sing. of such Adjectives ends in -ie, not in ī.

From New Latin Grammar by Charles E. (Charles Edwin) Bennett

Diminutives are also formed, in colloquial and familiar language, by adding -y or -ie to the names, as Charley, Mousie, &c.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various

In the word doggie for dog, lassie for lass, the addition of the -ie makes the word not so much a diminutive as a term of tenderness or endearment.

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

Vocative case, 17; 19, 1; —— of Greek proper names in -ās, 47, 4; —— of adjs. in -ius, 63, 1; 171; —— in -ī for -ie, 25, 1; —— position of, 350, 3.

From New Latin Grammar by Charles E. (Charles Edwin) Bennett

More elaborate designs, including hatched bands, grids, and diamond-shaped motifs, also showed evidence of rotation, translation, repetition, and "embedding," i.e., the ability to build hierarchical levels of signs within the same surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

That fair value, which uses factors including the S&P 500, the 10-year yield and exchange rates as inputs, was actually adjusted downward given slowing rates of official — i.e., central bank — purchases.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

And accompanying internal EA documents confirmed that water companies can spill sewage when there is "heavy" rain i.e. beyond the "normal" weather conditions.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

“Overall, we expect investors will worry about the component cost impact on margins along with the mix impact i.e. lower U.S. revenue impacting margins into 2H.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Additionally, the book explores ways of applying music-making to benefit the whole child, i.e., socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and linguistically.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

At Garcia’s shows, she says she constantly meets concertgoers from L.A., or even from San Diego, who drive hours into the I.E. to be part of its blossoming scene.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

“Let’s make this a combined effort,” he told the soldiers participating in the joint drill — although later in the week it was unclear whether the country’s Mighty Barrolle or I.E.

From New York Times ● Oct. 11, 2014

I.E., from $1,000,000,000 in basically recurring revenue —  to $0.

From Forbes ● Apr. 25, 2013

Since then, Microsoft, spurred by its rivals' advances, has released the very good I.E.

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2010

Nuniz states that his "Togao Mamede" conquered Gujarat, was at war with Bengal, and had trouble with the Turkomans on the borders of Sheik Ismail, I.E.

From A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): a contribution to the history of India by Robert Sewell

The new rear suspension is aimed at increasing anti-lift - ie, keeping the aerodynamic platform more stable, to keep rear downforce more consistent, and rear grip higher.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2025

Ministers have said on several occasions they do not think statutory ie legally enforceable guidelines are necessary.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2024

It currently stands at around 350, I am told - ie pretty much full.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2024

"I suspect it is pretty bad- ie criminally damning- for him to risk this result which is financially ruinous and predicated on his discovery violations," he tweeted.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2023

Exception 2.—Words ending in ie and dropping the e, by Rule I. change the i into y to prevent the doubling of the i: as, die + ing = dying; lie + ing = lying.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Related Words

• especially
• expressly
• namely