We have often used the phrases "e.g." or "i.e." in everyday English writing but what do the abbreviations actually stand for? A meme claimed to have the answer, saying each phrase is short for "example given" and "in essence," respectively.
The meme — that spread on X, Threads, and Instagram in late May 2025 and appeared in a similar format on Facebook in September 2020 — stated:
At what age did you realize that,
E.g. means "Example given"
I.e. means "in essence"
I bet your teachers told you,
E.g.= for example
I.e.= That is
(X user @todayyearsoldig)
However, the above meme does not show the correct meaning of the abbreviations "e.g." and "i.e." The first is short for "for example" and the second means "that is." However, both terms are translated from their Latin origins, which gives us the "e.g." and "i.e." phrases. While the use of "example given" and "in essence" does convey the meaning of each respective term, they do not represent what each letter stands for. As such, we have rated this claim as false.
According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, "e.g." is taken from the Latin phrase exempli gratia, which translates to "for example." Meanwhile, it stated that "i.e." comes from the Latin phrase id est, which means "that is."
However, the terms "example given" and "in essence" do explain the meaning of the abbreviations, even if they are not direct translations. In September 2023, Merriam-Webster's official X account shared the terms as easy ways to remember what the abbreviations are used for:
'i.e.' or 'e.g.'??
What it means
i.e. = that is
e.g. = for example
Way to remember
i.e. = in. essence.
e.g. = example. given.
The Online Etymology Dictionary echoed Merriam-Webster's definitions of the two abbreviations and added that "e.g." originated in the 1680s.
The Oxford Dictionary and the Cambridge Dictionary also noted the same Latin phrases that give us the "e.g." and "i.e." abbreviations.