phrase
Latin
e.g. (exempli gratia)
lit. “for the sake of an example”
'For example' — used to introduce one or more examples of something just mentioned.
Origin
From exempli gratia. Like 'i.e.,' the abbreviation has been standard in English writing since the 17th century. The semantic split: e.g. opens an illustrative subset; i.e. restates the same thing more precisely. The trick to remember: e for example.
Modern usage
Universal in writing, almost never spoken aloud. People who confuse 'e.g.' and 'i.e.' will be corrected by pedants in the comments, every time.
In the wild
Pick a hobby that gets you moving — e.g., running, swimming, dance.— common usage
Tags
example
abbreviation
writing