"Op. Cit." is a Latin abbreviation for "opere citato," which translates to "in the work cited." It is used in academic writing to refer back to a source that has already been mentioned in the text. This helps avoid repetition and keeps the writing concise while still providing proper credit to the original author. When using "Op. Cit.," it is important to ensure that the earlier citation is clear and easily identifiable. This abbreviation is commonly found in footnotes or endnotes, particularly in fields like history, law, and literature, where extensive referencing is often required.