What does 'et al.' refer to?

The term 'et al.' is derived from the Latin phrase 'et alii,' which translates to 'and others.' It is commonly used in academic and legal contexts to refer to additional parties or contributors who are not specifically named in a citation or a document. This usage allows for the inclusion of multiple authors, parties, or contributors without the need to list every individual, especially when there are many involved.

In scholarly writing, for instance, when citing a work authored by multiple individuals, one can state the first author followed by 'et al.' to signify that there are more authors associated with the work. In legal documents, it functions similarly, indicating that there are additional parties involved in a case that are not listed for brevity or relevance.

This is why the choice indicating that 'et al.' refers to other parties involved but not named is accurate and appropriate for understanding its application in various formal writing contexts.