What is the difference between et al. and et cetera?

The Latin phrase et al., short for et alia (“and other things”) and et alii (“and other people”), is more specific than et cetera (“and the rest”).

Only et al. can refer to people.

Where does the term Stark Naked come from? The term Stark Naked is a corruption of the term start naked. In the thirteenth century, when the phrase originated, start took the Anglo-Saxon form steort, which meant "tail" or "rump." Therefore, stark…
What is the difference between e.g. and i.e.? The abbreviation eg., standing for the Latin exempli gratia, or "for the sake of example," means exactly that, a series of examples: "large dogs, e.g., Saint Bernards and Great Danes." The abbreviation i.e.,…
In mathematics what is the difference between a perimeter and a parameter? A perimeter is the distance around the boundary of a closed plane figure, such as a rectangle or circle. A parameter is a quantity that, when varied, affects the value of another quantity.…
What is the difference between a Median and a Mean? A median is the point that divides a series of numbers so that half are on one side, half on the other. In the series 1, 4, 8, 20, 24, 27, 42, the…
What is the difference between Semantics and Semiotics? Semantics is the study of meaning. Approached from the philosophical point of view, it involves the relationships between words; approached from the linguistic point of view, it deals with changes in meaning over…
If the female side of a family is called the Distaff side, what is the male side? The male side of a family is called the Spear side. A distaff was a stick with a cleft end, used to hold the flax or wool from which a woman spun thread.…