cf.
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cf. is an abbreviation for the Latin word confer, meaning "compare" or "consult", and is hence used to refer to other material or ideas which may provide different information or arguments. It is mainly used in scholarly or educated contexts, such as in academic (mainly humanities) or legal texts.
For the classic meaning of the abbreviation, see the Oxford English Dictionary, where confer is defined as 'compare' (abbr. cf.). In The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Appendix I, General Abbreviations, we read: cf., confer ( = compare). In Cassell's Latin Dictionary we see 'confer' meaning I, sense d, means 'to compare'.
It is sometimes used (primarily in dictionaries) to imply insight into the preceding word's etymology, that is, to suggest how one term obtained its particular naming convention (perhaps from another phrase). For example, the phrase "Big Whack (cf. Big Bang)" suggests to the reader that the nickname "Big Whack" is derived from the name "Big Bang".
In the system of binomial nomenclature, cf. is similarly used to indicate that the species needs to be seen in context of its comparison to another, but by definition is not confirmed as the same. For example, Corvus cf. splendens indicates "a bird similar to the House Crow but not certainly identified as this species". For this reason many mistakenly believe that "cf." is an abbreviated form of "confirmed" or "inconfirmatus".
Correctly formatted, the abbreviation has a single period after it (that is, not "c.f.") because it represents a shortening of the single word confer. It does not mean as some mistakenly assume "carry forward". Use of italics for abbreviations of foreign words and phrases has become less common in modern usage, especially for such common abbreviations as cf., e.g., i.e., and viz.
First coined at the senate council of Brunicus in A.D. 17. Became widespread within the next 40 years. Used by many businesses in Rome and its provinces.[citation needed]
