Viz.

The abbreviation viz. (or viz without a full stop) is short for the Latin , which itself is a contraction of the Latin phrase videre licet, meaning "it is permitted to see". It is used as a synonym for "namely", "that is to say", "to wit", "which is", or "as follows". It is typically used to introduce examples or further details to illustrate a point: for example, "all types of data viz. text, audio, video, pictures, graphics, can be transmitted through networking".

Etymology

Viz. is shorthand for the Latin adverb using scribal abbreviation, a system of medieval Latin shorthand. It consists of the first two letters, vi, followed by the last two, et, using . With the adoption of movable type printing, the (then current) blackletter form of the letter , , was substituted for this symbol since few typefaces included it.

Usage

In contrast to i.e. and e.g., viz. is used to indicate a detailed description of something stated before, and when it precedes a list of group members, it implies (near) completeness.

• Viz. is usually read aloud as "that is", "namely", or "to wit", but is sometimes pronounced as it is spelled, viz.: .
• Videlicet is pronounced or in English-speaking countries.

Examples

• The intended meaning of his speech, viz. that our attitude was in fact harmful, was not understood.
• The later two problems, viz. his debt and his back pain, could not be so easily solved.
• "My grandfather had four sons who grew up, viz. Thomas, John, Benjamin and Josiah."
• The noble gases, viz. helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, show an unexpected behaviour when exposed to this new element.

Compared with scilicet

A similar expression is , from earlier , abbreviated as sc., which is Latin for "it is permitted to know." Sc. provides a parenthetic clarification, removes an ambiguity, or supplies a word omitted in preceding text, while viz. is usually used to elaborate or detail text which precedes it.

In legal usage, ' appears abbreviated as ss. It can also appear as a section sign (§) in a caption, where it is used to provide a statement of venue, that is to say a location where an action is to take place.