and so forth
- 1Used after the last item named in a list to show that the list continues with more of a similar kind.
The training covers the basics: fire exits, first aid, reporting procedures, and so forth.
He complained about the commute, the long meetings, the endless emails, and so forth, until we changed the subject.
Note
Every word of it was already in place in Old English, which said and swā forþ, literally "and so onward." It follows the last named item after a comma and works best when those items make the pattern obvious: the exes, the siblings, the co-workers. And so on is its close twin, and etc., short for et cetera, is the clipped written equivalent.
Use it in a sentence
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Origin
The phrase dates back at least to Old English, where it appeared as "and swā forþ".