You’re Never Too Old to Learn: Hilarious and Fascinating Facts People Didn’t Know Until Later in Life

While many of us frequently use the ampersand, its historical origins remain a mystery to most. Sarah Pappalardo, a Twitter user, has shed light on this enigma, revealing that the ampersand actually represents a ligature for the Latin term ‘et’, equivalent to ‘and’ in English. This Latin term might ring a bell from the well-known phrase, ‘Et Tu, Brute?’ – a phrase synonymous with ‘And you, Brutus?’.

The term “et”, prevalent in the frequently used phrase “et cetera”, hails from Latin origins and translates to “and others”. Despite Latin being considered by some as a fading language, it has left an indelible imprint on our modern vocabulary, preserving a handful of its words for posterity.