We've All Used It, but Here's What P.S. Actually Stands For

How to properly use P.S., and whether or not to use P.P.S. and P.P.P.S.

You were today years old when curiosity finally got the best of you and you decided to search, "What does P.S. stand for?" and luckily, we've got the answer. Chances are—like most people!—you've probably used this abbreviation dozens of times and never stopped to consider its actual meaning. You're certainly not alone, as many of us are still trying to figure out how to work TikTok and what most of Gen-Z's slang words actually mean...

But undoubtedly, we've been using "P.S." for much longer. In letter-writing, emails and even text messages from time to time, we often add a "P.S." at the end and most of us don't even think twice about it. But why? What does "P.S." actually mean?

Keep reading as we debunk the true meaning of this frequently-used abbreviation and if you happen to be looking for even more deep dives, we've got the meaning behind dreams about spiders and everything you need to know about angel numbers in numerology.

What does P.S. mean?

"P.S." is the abbreviation for the word "postscript." According to Dictionary.com, the definition of 'postscript' is, "a message added at the end of a letter, after the signature; any supplement, as to a document or book."

It comes from the Latin word for "written after," which is postscriptum. As its original Latin meaning suggests, it is quite literally an afterthought. Something additional that was meant to be included in a letter but the letter was finished and signed. So, according to Grammarly, writers would add a postscript—an additional thought to be included after the signature.

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Obviously, this originated way back when (the early 1500s to be exact). Back in the heart of letter-writing days, adding a "P.S." was the easiest way to ink in an addendum of sorts—something you forgot to write before signing it. Otherwise, you'd have to completely inconvenience yourself and rewrite the letter.

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It remained relevant for years. In fact, you probably first heard the abbreviation "P.S." when you learned how to write a friendly letter in elementary school. Nowadays, snail mail isn't exactly the main way we communicate (plus, we can erase and delete now that we're not penning communication with feathered ink pens—thank you, technology!). "P.S." may not be as necessary as it once was, but now that it's part of the English lexicon, it's still used today both as a way to add something you forgot and to emphasize an idea. 

How to use P.S. in Letters or Texts

Are you using P.S. correctly? First, let's talk about spelling, capitalization and stylization—all things that not even grammar experts can agree on. While it's not terribly difficult to spell this abbreviation and it's almost universally capitalized, there are many different camps of thinking when it comes to stylization.

While Grammarly capitalizes both letters and does not use periods between each, there is usually a difference between how American English and British English stylize the word. After all, the Cambridge Dictionary uses no periods—so, just PS—while most American English dictionaries recognize it with periods—P.S. 

The outlier here is the Chicago Manual of Style, which also prefers the British usage without periods.

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To use P.S. correctly, it should be added at the end of a letter or text message or included in a way that clearly indicates it's an afterthought. Other than that, your options are limitless! You can crack a joke, say something you forgot to mention before, add in something cheeky or a callback to something previously written, etc. There's a reason the repetitive statement of "P.S. I love you" throughout the movie of the same name was so romantic!

Famous examples of P.S. usage

The abbreviation "P.S." has been used quite famously—and even notoriously—in some cases concerning celebrities and political figures.

One example is when John Lennon wrote a letter to a fan who disrespected his wife, Yoko Ono. Lennon wrote:

In another famous usage by The Beatles, the group wrote and sang a song called "P.S.  I Love You."

Here's another famous example used by Elvis Presley in a letter written to President Nixon.

Is there such a thing as a P.P.S. or a P.P.P.S?

Formally, there is no such thing as a "P.P.S." or a "P.P.P.S," but the "postscript" abbreviation has evolved over time as more and more people have used it. Following the logic, a "P.S." would constitute a first afterthought while a "P.P.S." would be a second afterthought and a "P.P.P.S." would be a third.

Most of the time, these iterations of the original abbreviation are used cheekily. After all, they stand for nothing, abbreviation-wise. Both would literally mean "post-postscript" and "post-post-postscript," which aren't recognized as real abbreviations.

Nevertheless, the public understanding of "P.S." is so widespread, that most people understand the use of those iterations—even if they're not exactly "official."

Next up, what's the proper email etiquette?