When in Rome: Everyday Latin phrases

I.e.

I.e. is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est meaning "that is,"
or "in other words." The term introduces an explanation of a
previous paraphrase, as in: "Dr. Doolittle, reported that he had only
'a few' pets, i.e., he had more animals on his property than the
London Zoo." I.e. is only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence.
The periods and closing comma are used in American English,
though they're unnecessary in English speaking-countries outside of
North America, i.e., the UK, Australia, and Ireland.

E.g.

E.g. is an acronym for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning "for
example" or literally translated, "for the sake of example." The
phrase introduces an example of a reference made earlier in the
sentence, as in: "She felt that large lizards were widely
misunderstood (e.g. the delicate gila monster)." E.g. is only
capitalized at the beginning of a sentence and can be flanked by
commas or parenthesis. If you're worried about confusing e.g. and
i.e., remember: use e.g. to provide an example and i.e. to explain
one.

Ibid.
[ib-id]
Ibid. is an abbreviation for the Latin word ibidem meaning "in the
same place." The phrase is useful for citations and bibliographies to
refer to a source cited in a previous entry, possibly appearing in a
citations page as:
[1] Cicero, M.T. Latin 101 (Rome: Academic, 21 BCE), p. 4.
[2] Ibid.
Ibid. is always followed by a period, is capitalized only at the
beginning of a sentence or citation, and may or may not be
italicized depending on the writer's preference.

Et al.
[et al, ahl, awl]
Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et alii meaning "and
others." The term references groups of people (not things). Et al. is
useful for citations and referring to a group by a few of its
members, as in: "The city often relied on superheroes: Captain
Planet, Wonder Woman, Batman et al." The term is only capitalized
at the beginning of a sentence, and it always takes a period.
However you can decide whether or not to put a comma before it.

Etc.

This common abbreviation etc. represents the Latin phrase et

cetera meaning "and so forth" or literally "and the rest." Etc.
abbreviates lists of things (not people) in which unlisted items can
be deduced from the existing list and listing them would be truly
unnecessary. For example: "He could see dragons in every type of
cloud (stratus, nimbus, cumulous, etc.)." Etc. is always followed by
a period. At the end of a list, it is preceded by a comma, as though
it were simply the next term in line.

Viz.

Viz. is an abbreviated contraction of the Latin term videre licit

which became videlicet meaning "namely" or "that is to say." The
term introduces a description or clarification of an idea stated
earlier. Viz. has a fascinating etymology in that the addition of the
"z" was not originally a letter but a twirl, representing the Medieval
Latin shorthand symbol for the suffix "-et," as in videlicet.

Sic
[sik]
Sic is the first term on our list that is not an abbreviation or
acronym. The Latin word sic means "so" or "thus" and most often
appears bracketed within quoted passages. [Sic] indicates that the
quoted text has been transcribed exactly, thus accounting for any
grammatical or spelling errors that may appear: "Cusack tweeted
often during the show, stating that it "was a privilege to honor a
great artist--bit of fun at the masters [sic] request." (From the LA
Times)

Q.E.D.

Q.E.D. is an acronym for the Latin phrase quod erat

demonstrandum meaning "which was to be demonstrated." The
term is most often used at the end of a mathematical or
philosophical proof when that which was hypothesized has been
proved, e.g., Rene Descartes' cogito ergo sum, "I think, therefore I
am--insert countless volumes of philosophical inquiry--Q.E.D. I
think, therefore I am."

Ipso facto
[ip-soh fak-toh]
Ipso facto was adopted into English directly from the Latin. The
phrase means "by the fact itself" or "by the very nature of the
deed." In a sentence, ipso facto indicates that the event that follows
it is a direct consequence of the event that precedes it. For
example: "I'm forswearing all technology. Ipso facto you can have
my stereo." Like many deeply integrated loanwords, there is no
need to italicize ipso facto in common usage.

Quid pro quo

[kwid proh kwoh]
This phrase is on loan to English directly from the Latin meaning
"one thing in return for another." Quid pro quo functions as a noun
referring to a fair trade or reciprocal exchange. The phrase often
appears in diplomacy. For example, let's look at this imagined
quotation by the director of the Central Park Zoo. "The Bronx Zoo
has finally agreed to give us a polar bear, but they're asking for a
quid pro quo. How many grizzlies should we give them?"

Ad nauseam
[ad naw-zee-uhm, -am]
This Latin adverb literally translates as "to the point of seasickness."
In English, when something happens ad nauseam, it goes on
endlessly, to a sickening or nauseating extent. For example,
"Recently, the acronym 'YOLO' has been used ad nauseam. Many
English speakers expect to experience an unpleasant physical
reaction if they hear it one more time."

Ad hominem
[ad hom-uh-nuhm -nem, ahd]
Ad hominem is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase argumentum
ad hominem literally translated as "argument to the person." This
dirty debate style attacks the opponent's character instead of the
points raised in his argument. For example, "The Scarecrow only
accepted ad hominem arguments because, as he said, he didn't
have a brain." Or in another context, "negotiations over the fiscal
cliff looked particularly bleak when representatives resorted to ad
hominem attacks like, 'Yeah, well, that's a terrible tie.'"

Deus ex machina
[dey-uhs eks mah-kuh-nuh, dee-uhs eks mak-uh-nuh]
Literally "a god from the machine," deus ex machina is a literary
device that dates back to Greek and Roman drama. In classical
theater, a deus ex machina refers to a god that enters the action
just in time to resolve the characters' entanglements. Today the
phrase can represent any improbable plot device that saves the
day, as well as many cameos by Academy Award Winner Morgan
Freeman. In the late Renaissance, a deus ex machina was the
device by which actors playing gods were suspended over the stage
as though in flight.