x

See also: Appendix:Variations of "x"

x U+0078, x LATIN SMALL LETTER X ← w [U+0077] Basic Latin y → [U+0079]

ｘ U+FF58, ｘ FULLWIDTH LATIN SMALL LETTER X ← ｗ [U+FF57] Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms ｙ → [U+FF59]

ⅹ U+2179, ⅹ SMALL ROMAN NUMERAL TEN ← ⅸ [U+2178] Number Forms ⅺ → [U+217A]

Translingual

Etymology 1

Letter

x (upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.

See also

• (Latin script):  Aa  Bb  Cc  Dd  Ee  Ff  Gg  Hh  Ii  Jj  Kk  Ll  Mm  Nn  Oo  Pp  Qq  Rr  Sſs  Tt  Uu  Vv  Ww  Xx  Yy  Zz
• (Variations of letter X):  Ẍẍ  Ẋẋ  ᶍ  Ｘｘ

Etymology 2

The variable name comes from usage in Spain, as up to the 16th century ⟨x⟩ had the sound value /ʃ/ in Spanish, so was used to transcribe Arabic ش‎ (š) used for the purpose of a variable as an abbreviation of شَيْء‎ (šayʔ, “thing”). Its sound value is since then /x/ which explains the decision made in the circle of the International Phonetic Association to assign this character to the voiceless velar fricative. Compare English hickey (“an object whose name is not recalled; bruise-like mark made during petting by pressing the mouth to the skin”) for the development of the sense of a communicated kiss.

Pronunciation

• IPA

  (file)

Symbol

x

1. (IPA) The voiceless velar fricative.
2. (mathematics) An unknown variable.
3. (mathematics) The first coordinate in Cartesian coordinates, representing horizontal position.
4. Used as a placeholder for a digit or value that may vary.
   • 2008, Leonard Richardson; Sam Ruby, RESTful Web Services (in English), page 387:

     The 5xx [i.e. three digits starting "5"] series of status codes is for representing problems on the server side.

   • 2009, Ravi Rikhye, Concise World Armies 2009 (in English):

     BRIGADE NUMBERING - TRADITIONAL • Armor Brigade [5xx series] • Armored Infantry Brigade [3xx series] • Motorized Infantry Brigade [2xx series] • Infantry Brigade [1xx series] • Special Forces [8xx series]

   • 2010, Tri "Slowhabit" Nguyen; Martin Harris, Advanced PLO Play (in English), page 53:

     Although my opponent will have 4xxx [i.e. a 4 and three other cards] frequently, I have to stack off occasionally to avoid being exploited in this spot.

5. A kiss at the end of a letter, or similar missive.
   • 2009 September 8, tammy martinez, “God bless u!”, in cir-b-ksa, Usenet‎^[3] (in Spanish), retrieved 2014-10-26:

     Que DIOS te bendiga, xoxo

     GOD bless you xoxo

   • 2010 September 4, pap...@yahoo.com, “Re: Sortido”, in Medicina UFRJ Turma 1970, Usenet‎^[4] (in Portuguese), retrieved 2014-10-26:

     Pratinha te amo, te amo...XOXO luizbola

     Parinha I love you, I love you...XOXO luizbola

   • 2012, Amanda Jennings, Sworn Secret (in English):

     i love you :)! xxx. She pressed send and stared at him. She giggled when he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

   • 2012, Maya Rodale, Geheimes Spiel der Liebe‎^[5] (in German):

     XOXO, dein Schreibmädchen, deine Frau

     XOXO, your writing girl, your wife

   • 2013, La voz de Carly‎^[6] (in Spanish):

     Nos vemos en unos días. Te quiero. Xoxo.

     We see each other in a few days. I want you. Xoxo.

   • 1999, Mon évolution par l'Amour‎^[7] (in French), page 134:

     Je t'aime ! Kristel xxxx...

     I love you ! Kristel xxxx...

Etymology 3

The multiplication sign is an arbitrary notation developed in the early 17th century.

Symbol

x

1. Alternative spelling of ×

   Dimensions: 1280x720

   3x as much as usual

   • 2017, Karin Loose, Gesunde Lebensführung - Gewusst wie!?: Ernährung + Bewegung + Psyche, BookRix, →ISBN:

     Nebenzahlreichen sekundären Pflanzenstoffen enthält Moringa: 2x so viel Proteine wie Soja [...]

Usage notes

Using x (in upper- or lower-case, italicized or not, and sometimes rotated 90 degrees) to indicate multiplication was common in 17th-century mathematical texts. Today, this usage is considered poor typography, but it is nevertheless common because computer keyboards lack a × key.

Etymology 4

A CD-R claiming 52X speed.

A DVD-R claiming 8x speed.

Originates in given multiples of the speeds specified in the original CD and DVD standards, then, by reason of the actual unit being without name but just implied by the multiplication sign, reinterpreted as or used as if a unit, considering also that data transfer speed is variable, so that now, bolstered by stylization of the sign in the marketing of manufacturers, either spelling, with the multiplication sign or with the ex borrowed from the iconic mathematical variable sign, seems correct.

Symbol

x

1. (computing) A unit of transfer rate of CD drives, equal to 150 KiB per second.
2. (computing) A unit of transfer rate of DVD drives, equal 1.32 MiB per second.

Further reading

• “What is meant by the speed of a CD or DVD drive?”, in Indiana University: University Information Technology Services Knowledge Base‎^[8], 2018-01-18
• Optical disc drive#Rotational mechanism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• CD and DVD writing speed on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 5

Symbol

x

1. Ⅹ, the Roman numeral ten (10)

Alternative forms

• X, x, Ⅹ, VV, vv

See also

• Previous: ⅸ (nine, 9)
• Next: ⅺ (eleven, 11)

Gallery

• Letter styles
• 

  Uppercase and lowercase versions of X, in normal and italic type

• 

  Uppercase and lowercase X in Fraktur

See also

Other representations of X:

NATO phonetic: Xray Morse code: –··– Braille: ⠭ ASL Manual: X

Signal flag:

Semaphore:

English

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /ɛks/

Audio (US)

(file)

Rhymes: -ɛks

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ks/, /ɡz/, /z/, /kʃ/, /ɡʒ/

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X, plural xs or x's)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet, called ex and written in the Latin script.
3. Forming gender-neutral or otherwise more inclusive versions of words, especially Spanish-derived words by replacing both the masculine -o and feminine -a.

   alumnx, Chicanx (Xicanx), Filipinx, Latinx, Mx, mxn, Tejanx, womxn

See also

• -x (as in folx, punx)
• (gender): @

Adjective

x

1. Alternative letter-case form of X (“intersex or non-binary, in passports and identification documents”)

Conjunction

x

1. (fandom slang) Used between the names of two characters to denote a ship, particularly in anime, manga, and video games.
   • 1998 August 31, Greg Upchurch, “[Eva][Fanfic] Aright”, in rec.arts.anime.creative, Usenet‎^[9]:

     If there is anyone in the audience who can't stand someone pushing a Shinji x Rei thing, I know you want to quit on this fic now.

   • 2002 July 7, Arnold Kim, “Re: Favorite couples??”, in alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer, Usenet‎^[10]:

     I'm a fairly big Angel x Buffy fan, though I'm not a particularly big fan of Angel. They just work well together, IMO.

   • 2003 April 29, sephigirl, “Re: [OT] Character selections was: Re: [POLL] Identification”, in alt.fan.utena, Usenet‎^[11]:

     Tho' my doujinshi is a Cloud x Sephiroth - yes you read that right - Cloud's name is first. ^^!

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:x.
2. (music) Used in place of and in artist collaborations.

   Taska Black x DROELOE, Steve Aoki x Lauren Jauregui, etc.

Etymology 2

Abbreviations.

x

1. (stenoscript) the sound sequence /ɛks/ or /ks/.
2. (stenoscript) the suffix or final sequence /iəs/ (-ious, -eous, -eus)
3. (stenoscript) the suffix or final syllable /ʃəs/ (-tious, -cious, -xious)
4. (stenoscript) the suffix or final syllable /ʃəl/ (-tial, -cial)

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z
• -x

Afar

Letter

x

1. The eighth letter of the Afar alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, T t, S s, E e, C c, K k, X x, I i, D d, Q q, R r, F f, G g, O o, L l, M m, N n, U u, W w, H h, Y y

Albanian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /d͡z(ə)/

Letter

x (upper case X, lower case x)

1. The thirty-second letter of the Albanian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) shkronjë; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, Dh dh, E e, Ë ë, F f, G g, Gj gj, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, Ll ll, M m, N n, Nj nj, O o, P p, Q q, R r, Rr rr, S s, Sh sh, T t, Th th, U u, V v, X x, Xh xh, Y y, Z z, Zh zh
• (Arvanitic) (Greek script letters) Α α, Β β, Ƃ ƅ, Γ γ, Γj γj, Δ δ, D d, Ε ε, Ε̱ ε̱, Ζ ζ, Ζ̇ ζ̇, Θ θ, Ι ι, J j, Κ κ, Κ̇ κ̇, Λ λ, ΛΛ λλ, Λ̇ λ̇, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ν̇ ν̇, Ο ο, Π π, Ρ ρ, Ρ̇ ρ̇, Σ σ, Σ̈ σ̈, Τ τ, Ȣ ȣ, Υ υ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Χ̇ χ̇, ΤΣ τσ, ΤΣ̈ τσ̈, DΣ dσ, DΣ̈ dσ̈

Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /x/

Letter

x lower case (upper case X)

1. The twelfth letter of the Azerbaijani alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) hərf; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, Ə ə, F f, G g, Ğ ğ, H h, X x, I ı, İ i, J j, K k, Q q, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, Ş ş, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y, Z z

Basque

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iʃa/, [i.ʃa]

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-fifth letter of the Basque alphabet, called ixa and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ñ ñ, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ü ü), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪks
• (letter name): IPA^(key): /ɪks/

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Dutch alphabet.

See also

• Previous letter: w
• Next letter: y

Esperanto

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. (replacement) The letter that represents a diacritic in the x-system, written after the letter in its non-diacriticked form; it is called ikso.

   ambaŭ → ambaux

Finnish

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Finnish alphabet, called äks or eks and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• Used only in loanwords. In more established loanwords replaced with ks.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) kirjain; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s (Š š), T t, U u, V v (W w), X x, Y y, Z z (Ž ž), Å å, Ä ä, Ö ö

French

Pronunciation

• (letter name) IPA^(key): /iks/

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the French alphabet, written in the Latin script.
   • 1837, Louis Viardot, L’Ingénieux Hidalgo Don Quichotte de la Manche‎^{fr.Wikisource}, translation of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Chapter I:

     Avec ces propos et d’autres semblables, le pauvre gentilhomme perdait le jugement. Il passait les nuits et se donnait la torture pour les comprendre, pour les approfondir, pour leur tirer le sens des entrailles, ce qu’Aristote lui-même n’aurait pu faire, s’il fût ressuscité tout exprès pour cela.

     With these passages and other similar ones, the poor gentleman lost his judgement. He spent his nights and tortured himself to understand them, to consider them more deeply, to take from them their deepest meaning, which Aristotle himself would not have been able to do, had he been resurrected for that very purpose.

Gothic

Romanization

x

1. Romanization of 𐍇

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): [ˈks]
• (letter name): IPA^(key): [ˈiks]

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. A letter of the extended Hungarian alphabet, called iksz and written in the Latin script.

Declension

Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	x	x-ek
accusative	x-et	x-eket
dative	x-nek	x-eknek
instrumental	x-szel	x-ekkel
causal-final	x-ért	x-ekért
translative	x-szé	x-ekké
terminative	x-ig	x-ekig
essive-formal	x-ként	x-ekként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	x-ben	x-ekben
superessive	x-en	x-eken
adessive	x-nél	x-eknél
illative	x-be	x-ekbe
sublative	x-re	x-ekre
allative	x-hez	x-ekhez
elative	x-ből	x-ekből
delative	x-ről	x-ekről
ablative	x-től	x-ektől
non-attributive possessive - singular	x-é	x-eké
non-attributive possessive - plural	x-éi	x-ekéi

Possessive forms of x
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	x-em	x-eim
2nd person sing.	x-ed	x-eid
3rd person sing.	x-e	x-ei
1st person plural	x-ünk	x-eink
2nd person plural	x-etek	x-eitek
3rd person plural	x-ük	x-eik

Derived terms

• x-edik
• x-edszer
• x-lábú
• x-szer

See also

• (Latin-script letters) betű; A a, Á á, B b, C c, Cs cs, D d, Dz dz, Dzs dzs, E e, É é, F f, G g, Gy gy, H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, Ly ly, M m, N n, Ny ny, O o, Ó ó, Ö ö, Ő ő, P p, R r, S s, Sz sz, T t, Ty ty, U u, Ú ú, Ü ü, Ű ű, V v, Z z, Zs zs. Only in the extended alphabet: Q q W w X x Y y. Commonly used: ch. Also defined: à ë. In surnames (selection): ä aa cz ds eé eö ew oe oó th ts ÿ.

Further reading

• x in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xs/

Letter

x (upper case X)

1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Icelandic alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) bókstafur; A a, Á á, B b, D d, Рð, E e, É é, F f, G g, H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ó ó, P p, R r, S s, T t, U u, Ú ú, V v, X x, Y y, Ý ý, Þ þ, Æ æ, Ö ö

Ido

Pronunciation

• (context pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ks/
• (letter name) IPA^(key): /kse/

Letter

x (upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Ido alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Indonesian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (context pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s, ks/
• (letter name) IPA^(key): /ɛks/

Letter

x (upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Indonesian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) huruf; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Etymology 2

Noun

x

1. (text messaging) Abbreviation of kali.

Etymology 3

Unknown.

Suffix

x

1. (text messaging, slang) Abbreviation of -nya.

Synonyms

• ny

Italian

Etymology 1

Letter

x f or m (invariable, lower case, upper case X)

1. the twenty-fourth letter of the Latin alphabet, called ics in Italian

Usage notes

• The letter X is not considered part of the Italian alphabet. It is found mainly in loanwords, Latinisms, and Grecisms.

Etymology 2

The multiplication sign × (which is visually similar to the letter x) is pronounced per in Italian.

Preposition

x

1. (text messaging, slang) Abbreviation of per (“for”).

Usage notes

• This convention is not only used for the preposition but also used within words such as, xké (“perché”), xò (“però”).

Latin

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Latin alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• More information at X.

Malay

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X) (eks)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Malay alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Adverb

x

1. (informal, text messaging, Internet slang) Abbreviation of tak (“not”).

Synonyms

• tidak

Derived terms

• xde (tidak ada, "does not have")
• xpe (tidak apa, "what not")

Maltese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃ/
• IPA^(key): /ʒ/ (by assimilation to a following voiced obstruent)
• In a handful of English borrowings, x represents /ʒ/ also in other positions (compare televixin).

Letter

x (upper case X)

1. The twenty-eighth letter of the Maltese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) ittra; A a, B b, Ċ ċ, D d, E e, F f, Ġ ġ, G g, Għ għ, H h, Ħ ħ, I i, Ie ie, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Ż ż, Z z

Norwegian

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /eks/, /ɛks/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ks/, /s/

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

x

1. The 24th letter of the Norwegian alphabet.

Usage notes

• Only appears in loanwords from e.g. Latin.

Portuguese

Pronunciation

Phoneme:

• IPA^(key): /ʃ/, /ks/, /s/, /z/, /ɡz/

Letter name:

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃis/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃis/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiʃ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiʃ/

• Audio (BR)

  (file)

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Portuguese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letra; A a (Á á, À à,  â, àã), B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e (É é, Ê ê), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ô ô, Õ õ), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Romani

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /x/

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. (International Standard) The eleventh letter of the Romani alphabet, written in the Latin script.
2. (Pan-Vlax) The twelfth letter of the Romani alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, X x, I i, J j, K k, Kh kh, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Ph ph, R r, S s, T t, Th th, U u, V v, Z z International Standard: (À à, Ä ä, Ǎ ǎ), Ć ć, Ćh ćh, (È è, Ë ë, Ě ě), (Ì ì, Ï ï, Ǐ ǐ), (Ò ò, Ö ö, Ǒ ǒ), Rr rr, Ś ś, (Ù ù, Ü ü, Ǔ ǔ), Ź ź, Ʒ ʒ, Q q, Ç ç, ϴ θ. Pan-Vlax: Č č, Čh čh, Dž dž, (Dź dź), Ř ř, Š š, (Ś ś), Ž ž, (Ź ź).

References

• Yūsuke Sumi (2018), “X, x”, in ニューエクスプレス　ロマ（ジプシー）語 [New Express Romani (Gypsy)] (in Japanese), Tokyo: Hakusuisha, →ISBN, page 13

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ks/, /ɡz/

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Romanian alphabet, called ics and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ă ă,  â, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, Πî, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, Ș ș, T t, Ț ț, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (phoneme) /ks/, /s/, /x/
• IPA^(key): (letter name) /ˈekis/ [ˈe.kis]
  • (Castilian)

    Audio

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ekis
• IPA^(key): (gender-neutral) /e/ [e]
  • Rhymes: -e

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. the 25th letter of the Spanish alphabet
3. (uncommon) Forming gender-neutral versions of words by replacing both the masculine o and feminine a.

   chicanx, ellxs, latinx, lxs

See also

• @

Preposition

x

1. (text messaging, Internet slang) por

Zulu

Letter

x (lower case, upper case X)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Zulu alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z