and/or

[ and-awr ]

conjunction

1. (used to imply that either or both of the things mentioned may be affected or involved):

   insurance covering fire and/or wind damage.

and/or

conjunction

1. coordinating used to join terms when either one or the other or both is indicated

   passports and/or other means of identification

Usage Note

The combination and/or is used primarily in business and legal writing: All dwellings and/or other structures on the property are included in the contract. Because of these business and legal associations, some object to the use of this combination in general writing, where it occasionally occurs: She spends much of her leisure time entertaining and/or traveling. In such writing, either and or or is usually adequate. If a greater distinction is needed, another phrasing is available: Would you like cream or sugar, or both?

Usage

Many people think that and/or is only acceptable in legal and commercial contexts. In other contexts, it is better to use or both: some alcoholics lose their jobs or their driving licences or both (not their jobs and/or their driving licences )

Idioms and Phrases

Both or either of two options. For example, His use of copyrighted material shows that the writer is careless and/or dishonest . This idiom originated in legal terminology of the mid-1800s.

Example Sentences

He said: "From the financial information we have seen, it appears that local authority funding intended to benefit the pupils of the school has been used to finance a gym and/or coffee business operated by Mr Saverimutto and his family."

From BBC

What was said on Nov. 5, 2024, is that a majority of American voters don’t care that you were sexually assaulted and or abused.

From Salon

Alberto Carvalho to develop within 60 days a plan that would include “training for all teachers, administrators, and other staff on how to respond to Federal agencies and any immigration personnel who request information about students, families, and staff, and/or are attempting to enter school property, as well as a thorough effort to communicate the District’s sanctuary policy and plan to all District families in the language that they speak.”

From Los Angeles Times

Symptoms typically appear three to four days after exposure and include “severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

From Los Angeles Times

“Seemingly silly and arbitrary technicalities like this is the outcome of a couple centuries of death and illness from non-labeled, mis-labeled, and/or deceptively-labeled foods not allowing for responsible choices by the broadest number of people possible as food became more industrialized or was able to be shipped further from home,” explained user u/turnmeintocompostplz.

From Salon