Inter Alia
Latin: 'among other things'. Used in legal writing to indicate that a list of items is not exhaustive.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
'Inter alia' is common in legal drafting and judgments as shorthand for signalling that the examples given are illustrative, not a complete list. Official UK style guidance, however, treats it as exactly the kind of jargon plain-English writing should avoid: the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) style guide, used for its own staff writing reports, instructs that we generally shouldn't be using words that are likely to be unfamiliar to the average reader — for example, we should write 'among other things' rather than 'inter alia'.
The tension this reflects is a real one in legal writing: precision and established convention favour retaining Latin terms of art in formal legal documents (pleadings, contracts, judgments), while accessibility-focused public bodies increasingly prefer the plain English equivalent for material aimed at a general audience. Both usages persist side by side in current UK legal and administrative practice.
Example
"The report considered, inter alia, staffing levels, response times and public confidence" means the report considered those three things among others not listed.
Related terms
Official sources
This explanation is drawn from the official sources below; every substantive statement is verified against them. For advice on a specific matter, see our find help page.