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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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i.e. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. id est

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ie ² British  

abbreviation

1. Ireland

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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

The upshot is that longevity, i.e. not only living longer but being healthy for longer, could be big business for healthcare companies.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Today’s media-verse is so fractured and bifurcated along political lines, I just assumed that confirmation bias would drive most folks toward friendly sources, i.e. what they want to hear.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Magnons are quasiparticles, i.e. groups of particles behaving as if they were individual particles instead.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

Third, closing that chokepoint must have asymmetric effects, i.e., hurt your adversary more than it hurts you.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Movements should also be focused and thoughtful; i.e. preparation should occur before each movement; the movement should take into account the full length of the beat; and the movement should return back to pre-preparation status.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• especially
• expressly
• namely