The abbreviation "et al." is short for the Latin phrase "et alia," meaning "and others." When it appears on a property deed, it indicates that a list of items or persons named on the deed includes others as well.
The abbreviation "et al." also appear in many other contexts. It is typically used in bibliographical entries and citations, especially when citing a source with a lengthy list of authors. In a footnote citing a book with several authors, the first author is listed, followed by the words "et al." to indicate the other authors.
A synonym for "et al." that is used far more prevalently is "etc." This abbreviation, which is short for the Latin phrase "et cetera," is essentially employed to mean "and other things."
