Videlicet is a Latin term meaning “namely” or “that is to say,” used to introduce a specific, complete list of the items a general phrase refers to. It is almost always written in its abbreviated form, viz., and shows up most often in contracts, indictments, and other formal writing where a drafter needs to move from a broad category to the exact things it covers.
The word is a contraction of videre licet, which translates literally as “it is permissible to see.” That literal sense dropped away centuries ago. In modern usage, viz. does one job: it signals that what follows spells out precisely what the writer meant by the general term just used. “Office supplies, viz., pens, paper, and printer cartridges” tells the reader those three items are what the phrase covers.
What Viz. Signals That Other Abbreviations Don’t
The feature that sets viz. apart is implied completeness. When a writer uses it, the list that follows is meant to be exhaustive, or very close to it. The writer is saying “here is what I mean, and this is all of it,” not offering a sample.
That is what distinguishes viz. from the two Latin abbreviations most often confused with it:
- Viz. (videlicet) introduces a complete list. “The primary colors, viz., red, blue, and yellow” tells the reader those three are the full set.
- I.e. (id est) means “that is” and restates the preceding term in different words. It works like an equals sign. “The deadline is next Friday, i.e., June 12.”
- E.g. (exempli gratia) means “for example” and offers a few items from a larger group. “Bring warm clothing, e.g., a jacket or sweater” implies other items would also qualify.
The distinction that matters most in practice is between viz. and e.g. Write viz. and then list only some of the items, and you have told the reader the list is complete when it is not. Write e.g. and then list every item, and you have implied there are more when there are none. In a contract or pleading, that mismatch can create real ambiguity about what the parties or the drafter intended.
How to Write and Say It
Place a comma or semicolon before viz. to separate the general statement from the specifics that follow. A comma after viz. is standard, though some style guides treat it as optional. The finished sentence looks like this: “The contract covers three areas, viz., pricing, delivery, and warranty terms.”
Viz. always takes a period after the z because it is an abbreviation. Most modern style guides do not italicize it, even though its origin is Latin, because the term has been absorbed into English usage. The full word videlicet still appears occasionally in older documents and academic writing, but viz. is almost always the better choice; the unabbreviated form tends to read as an affectation rather than a clarification.
Reading viz. aloud trips people up. The traditional practice is to say “namely.” Some speakers pronounce the full Latin (roughly “wih-DEL-ih-ket”), and others just say “viz” as written. “Namely” is the safest choice in professional settings because it conveys the meaning without requiring the audience to know the Latin.
Legal Uses of Videlicet
Videlicet earned its reputation in courtrooms, where the gap between a general allegation and a specific one can determine whether a case survives. A federal indictment must contain a plain, concise statement of the essential facts making up the offense charged.1Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 7 – The Indictment and the Information Prosecutors historically used viz. to bridge broad statutory language and the particular facts of a case, writing something like “the defendant stole personal property, viz., one laptop computer and two cellular phones.”
Specificity matters here because of variance. A variance occurs when the allegations in a charging document do not match the evidence actually presented at trial. An indictment that says only “personal property” invites a defendant to argue they lacked adequate notice of what they were accused of stealing. Adding viz. followed by the exact items narrows the allegation and reduces that risk.
Outside criminal law, viz. appears in contracts to define the scope of obligations. A clause requiring a landlord to maintain “building systems, viz., HVAC, plumbing, and electrical” tells both parties precisely which systems are covered. Because viz. implies completeness, leaving an item off the list can be just as significant as putting one on. Drafters who want flexibility are better served by e.g. or by a phrase like “including but not limited to.”
Videlicet and Scilicet
Scilicet is a related Latin term that also means “namely” and shares the root licet (“it is permitted”). Most people encounter it without realizing it. The abbreviation “SS” or “ss.” that appears in notarial certificates and legal venue headers is short for scilicet. In a document that reads “State of Ohio, County of Franklin, SS,” the scilicet simply marks the venue line. It requires no action from the person reading or signing.
Scilicet has largely retreated into that single notarial role. When a writer needs to introduce a detailed list inside a sentence, viz. is the standard choice, and the two are rarely in competition.