Meaning
et cetera, and so on, and so forth
In a sentence
Ho comprato pane, latte, frutta, eccetera.
I bought bread, milk, fruit, and so on.
Porta quaderni, penne, eccetera, per la lezione.
Bring notebooks, pens, and so on, for class.
Hai preso piatti, bicchieri, eccetera, per stasera?
Did you get plates, glasses, and so on, for tonight?
Usage notes
- Usually follows a short list: libri, quaderni, penne, eccetera. Don't use it to start a list.
- In speech and informal writing, Italians often say or write etc. instead of the full word.
- Less formal than e così via in careful writing; avoid stacking both together.