# Definition of "ETA" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 30, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025 "2007-05-30T03:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/1 "2007-05-30T03:46:36Z")
Since the advent of the ability to edit posts, I’ve run across numerous threads where someone who has edited their own post has written “ETA:” prior to contributing addition information to what they’ve already said. While I get the gist of the ETA notification (I think!), I don’t know what this actually stands for. I’d appreciate some help. The quickest example I could come up with can be found [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8617879&postcount=12). ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/2 "2007-05-30T03:48:42Z")
I’ve always taken it to mean “Edited To Add…” ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/3 "2007-05-30T04:22:16Z")
eta: nm ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/4 "2007-05-31T03:07:54Z")
I asked and got some answers [here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=420508) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/5 "2007-05-31T03:32:08Z")
[QUOTE=Garfield226] I’ve always taken it to mean “Edited To Add…” [/QUOTE] I reckon that makes more sense than “estimated time of arrival”… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/6 "2007-05-31T21:23:40Z")
Should I add this to the [Glossary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)? I take it this is “standard message board usage” and not exclusive to the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/7 "2007-05-31T21:30:17Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Should I add this to the [Glossary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)? I take it this is “standard message board usage” and not exclusive to the Straight Dope? [/QUOTE] I know I’ve seen it someplace else pre-SDMB editing, but I can’t remember where – probably blogs. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/8 "2007-05-31T22:06:39Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Should I add this to the [Glossary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)? I take it this is “standard message board usage” and not exclusive to the Straight Dope? [/QUOTE] Correct – “ETA” is used far and wide on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/9 "2007-06-01T02:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Should I add this to the [Glossary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)? I take it this is “standard message board usage” and not exclusive to the Straight Dope? [/QUOTE] Well, if it is standard message board usage, maybe you could slip it into that list at the top of common abbreviations that you say you aren’t going to define but define anyway. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/10 "2007-06-01T15:13:48Z")
OK, done. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/11 "2007-06-01T15:46:24Z")
I always thought it was Estimated Time of Arrival, but now it seems to be pretty standard corporatespeak for “the time you think you’ll have that done by”. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-eta/406025/12 "2007-06-01T16:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] I always thought it was Estimated Time of Arrival, but now it seems to be pretty standard corporatespeak for “the time you think you’ll have that done by”. [/QUOTE] I’ve noticed that too. I assumed it meant ‘when will it **arrive** on my desk’.