x

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary


x U+0078, x
LATIN SMALL LETTER X
w
[U+0077]
Basic Latin y
[U+0079]
Small-cap X (left) and lower-case x (right) are distinct when italic, which is the convention of several phonetic alphabets. X is the only small-capital letter of the basic Latin alphabet that is not included in Unicode.

Translingual

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Etymology 1

Letter

x (upper case X)

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

See also

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).[1] Its sound value in Spanish has since then become /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

  • Pronunciation of IPA [xa axa] with the sound [x]:(file)

Symbol

x

  1. (IPA) a voiceless velar fricative.
    (superscript ˣ) [x]-fricated release, [x]-coloring, or a weak, fleeting or epenthetic [x] see ˣ.
  2. (mathematics) A name for 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; 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; 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 (in German):
      XOXO, dein Schreibmädchen, deine Frau
      XOXO, your writing girl, your wife
    • 2013, Arthur Fleischmann, Carly Fleischmann, La voz de Carly (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 (in French), page 134:
      Je t’aime ! Kristel xxxx...
      I love you ! Kristel xxxx...
Usage notes

In the mathematical senses, the term is conventionally rendered in italics, as in, “Solve the equation for .”

References
  1. Lagarde, Paul de (1882) “Woher stammt das x der Mathematiker?”, in Nachrichten von der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen (in German), number 13, pages 409–413

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 (in German), BookRix, →ISBN:
      Nebenzahlreichen sekundären Pflanzenstoffen enthält Moringa: 2x so viel Proteine wie Soja [...]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
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.[1] Today, this usage is considered poor typography, but it is nevertheless common because computer keyboards lack a × key.

References
  1. Cajori, Florian (1914 December) “The Cross X as a Symbol for Multiplication”, in Nature, volume 94, →DOI, pages 363–364

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

Etymology 5

Symbol

x

  1. , the Roman numeral ten (10)
Alternative forms

See also

See also

Other representations of X:

English

Afar

Albanian

Asturian

Azerbaijani

Basque

Blin

Catalan

Central Mazahua

Comox

Dutch

Esperanto

Finnish

French

Gothic

Heiltsuk

Hungarian

Icelandic

Ido

Indonesian

Italian

Kankanaey

Kwak'wala

Latin

Malay

Maltese

Mam

Norwegian

Portuguese

Romani

Romanian

Somali

Spanish

Tagalog

Tarifit

Tashelhit

Tlingit

Zulu

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