And/or

And/or is a special word used in English to connect ideas. It shows that one, several, or all of the things it links might happen. This is different from the usual "or," which can sometimes mean only one thing will happen.

People have used and/or in important places like legal papers and business documents since the 1800s. It became more common in the 1900s.

For information about a Star Wars television series, see Andor. And/or is a useful tool in language, but it needs to be used carefully.

Alternatives

People have suggested two ways to change "and/or." For two things, you can say "x or y or both." Another way is to just pick between using "and" or "or."

Mutual exclusivity

The word or doesn’t always mean you can pick more than one thing. To show that you can pick only one, people sometimes use the word either. For example, saying “He will eat either cake, pie, or brownies” means he can choose just one of those desserts.

But if it’s already clear that you can only pick one thing, you don’t need either. For instance:

• Person 1: “You may select one item for dessert.”
• Person 2: “What are my choices?”
• Person 1: “You may eat cake, pie, or brownies.”

In this case, it’s understood that only one dessert can be chosen.

Criticism

People who study how we use English often say the phrase "and/or" can look messy and be hard to understand. Famous writers like William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White said it can make sentences confusing.

Judges in courts have also talked about how they don’t like this phrase. They have called it confusing and unclear. Some even said it is lazy to use. Even though some experts say it can be useful in certain situations, many believe it should not be used in important legal documents because it can lead to misunderstandings.