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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

“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

Mr. Coffin et al. stage a colorful but uninteresting clatter of random mayhem, only occasionally interrupted by an ironic wink: “We are no longer evil,” announces Goomi.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Their findings were compiled into a comprehensive review published in the open access journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026

And some people like yourself and people who are in the industry, fans, et cetera, were saying, “Why don’t you spin it off with Elsbeth Tascioni?”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

The Mirabal sisters are not known there, for which she is also sorry for it is a crime that they should be forgotten, these unsung heroines of the underground, et cetera.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

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

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 voila: So that’s what an uncomfortable-looking midcentury armchair made of dark walnut and tufted tweed would look like in my cramped apartment.

From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2017

“Upend the patriarchy! R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Et cetera, et cetera. And you got past Ek and Do, too. Well done, well done.”

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

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

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

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

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

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

If the Foster clan doesn’t even have a hundred smackers sitting around a crummy Mellon Bank account, not even E.T.:

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

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

ET are expected to show an injection of 105 Bcf, slightly larger than the five-year average, according to a WSJ survey of analysts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

It was a little hard to tell that it was an ET sweatshirt, though, since both the letters and the sweatshirt were the exact same shade of purple.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater