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  • x
    x
    verb (used with object)
    to cross out or mark with or as if with an x (often followed byout ).
  • X
    X
    noun
    the 24th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
Synonyms

x

1 American  
[eks] / ɛks /

verb (used with object)

x-ed, x'd, x-ing, x'ing
  1. An image of the word x as defined by to cross out or mark with or as if with an x (often followed byout ).

    to cross out or mark with or as if with an x (often followed byout ).

    to x out an error.

  2. to indicate choice, as on a ballot or examination (often followed byin ).

    to x in the candidate of your choice.


x 2 American  

abbreviation

  1. ex.

  2. excess.

  3. Stock Exchange.

    1. (of stock trading) ex dividend.

    2. (of bond trading) ex interest.

  4. experimental.

  5. extra.


x 3 American  
Symbol.
  1. an unknown quantity or a variable.

    1. the letter x used to replace or obscure a gender morpheme, as to avoid the -o or -a inflection of a word borrowed from Spanish or the sequence m-e-n in the word women . See Latinx, womxn.

    2. the letter x indicating a variable and used to hold a place in a word or abbreviation that can be occupied by another letter, as in CxO to account for a range of specialized executive positions in a corporation, for example CEO , CFO , and COO .

  2. (used at the end of letters, telegrams, etc., to indicate a kiss.)

  3. (used to indicate multiplication) times.

    8 × 8=64.

  4. (used between figures indicating dimensions) by.

    3″ × 4″ (read: “three by four inches”);

    3″ × 4″ × 5″ (read: “three by four by five inches”).

  5. power of magnification.

    a 50x telescope.

  6. (used as a signature by an illiterate person.)

  7. cross.

  8. crossed with.

  9. (used to indicate a particular place or point on a map or diagram).

    X marks the spot where the pirates' treasure is buried.

  10. out of; foaled by.

    a colt by Flag-a-way x Merrylegs.

  11. (used to indicate choice, as on a ballot, examination, etc.)

  12. (used to indicate an error or incorrect answer, as on a test.)

  13. Mathematics. (in Cartesian coordinates) the x-axis.

  14. Chess. captures.

  15. a person, thing, agency, factor, etc., of unknown identity.

    I feel sorry for poor Mr. X, the man she will ultimately marry.


X 4 American  
[eks] / ɛks /
Or x

noun

  • X's,
    plural
  • Xs,
    plural
  • x's,
    plural
  • xs
    plural
  1. the 24th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.

  2. any spoken sound or combination of sounds represented by the letter X or x, as in xylene, box, or exact.

  3. something having the shape of an X .

  4. a written or printed representation of the letter X or x.

  5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter X or x.


X 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. experimental.

  2. extra.

  3. extraordinary.


X 6 American  
Symbol.
  1. the 24th in order or in a series.

  2. (sometimes lowercase) the Roman numeral for 10.

  3. Christ.

  4. Christian.

  5. cross.

  6. Electricity. reactance.

  7. Slang. a ten-dollar bill.

  8. (no longer in official use by the Motion Picture Association of America) a rating for movies with subject matter that is suitable for adults only.

  9. (in Great Britain) a designation for a film recommended for adults only.

  10. a person, thing, agency, factor, etc., of unknown identity.

  11. Chemistry. (formerly) xenon.


X 1 British  

symbol

    1. indicating a film that may not be publicly shown to anyone under 18. Since 1982 replaced by symbol 18

    2. ( as modifier )

      an X film

  1. denoting any unknown, unspecified, or variable factor, number, person, or thing

  2. (on letters, cards, etc) denoting a kiss

  3. (on ballot papers, etc) indicating choice

  4. (on examination papers, etc) indicating error

  5. for Christ; Christian

  6. ten See Roman numerals

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

x 2 British  

symbol

  1. commerce banking finance ex

  2. maths the x- axis or a coordinate measured along the x- axis in a Cartesian coordinate system

  3. an algebraic variable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

x 3 British  
/ ɛks /

noun

  1. the 24th letter and 19th consonant of the modern English alphabet

  2. a speech sound sequence represented by this letter, in English pronounced as ks or gz or, in initial position, z, as in xylophone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of x

First recorded in 1840–50


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“If interest rates go up x amount, what does that do to borrowing costs for all of these debt-laden companies that are doing this buildout and using financing to do it?” said J.D.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Earlier this week, the Golf Channel postponed the premiere of reality show “Big Break x Good Good” because one of the sponsors wanted out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

It feels inevitable that I’ve started to internalize its ticks, even the most infamous ones, like incessant em-dashing and overreliance on the “It’s not x but y” structure.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

Say something like, “My explanation of benefits from my insurance says I only owe x amount. Where did this bill/charge come from?”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

But here an x has to stand for an unknown number.

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass

How should they factor in the social-media platform X, or the AI-model development efforts?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Other nominees included the rapper Kojey Radical, Geordie jazz act Knats, and former Little Mix star Jade - who was the first ever X Factor winner to receive a Mercury nomination.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Warner Bros. demanded Russell pare down the film’s most intense scenes yet still slapped it with an X rating in the U.S. and U.K., while other countries banned it outright.

From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026

In a video posted Wednesday on his X account, Watt said it is “humbling” to be in such a position.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

There are four X marks on the stage.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

In two videos Van Orden posted to X and “Made with Grok Imagine,” X’s proprietary AI tool, depict Cooke as an indignant red duck.

From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026

At least one post has since been removed for violating X's rules.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Over the following year, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” became a phenomenon and made Billboard chart history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Apparently the NHL was initially unaware of this addition, and the elder Pocklington’s name was later covered with a row of X’s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

She drew a dotted line between the two X’s.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

“It’s called mano y mano and it’s not always Xs, and O’s. You got to stop the man and guard your yard.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026

If you have trouble following, there are many Philadelphians who will explain, having had the Xs and Os of the playbook tattooed on their skin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

The TikToks, Instagrams, and Xs of the world would rather nobody be worried about screen time at all, even as a few of those apps allow users to set their own limits.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2025

It is often called a violent chess match, and if you have ever seen inside a playbook and seen each play drawn up in Xs and Os fashion, you would have to agree.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025

She shakes her head and goes back to grading the exams, red checks or Xs next to each question.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

But there are other cases in which scholars can only guess about the origins of x’s role, such as the phrase “X marks the spot.”

From Scientific American ● Aug. 10, 2023

Mr Musk says "tweets" will be replaced too, with posts to be called "x's" instead.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2023

Nearby in a tent, 30-ish chairs sat on spaced out yellow x’s.

From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2021

Removing the x’s from x +x 5 would be like cancelling the 2’s in the fraction 2 + 5 !

From Textbooks ● May 6, 2020

Once the guppies turn into x's and y’s, my contacts fog.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Paide the smythe for making a new clapper for the great bell, xs.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. III, Number 86, June 21, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc. by Various

Item for the Tretys of Werre in iiij. books, which conteyneth lx. levis, after ijd. a leaff xs.

From The Boke of Noblesse by Unknown

Then follow "the names of those who were served with this writt, and who most willingly obeyed upon the receipt thereof," contributing altogether xvili xs 0.

From Christmas: Its Origin and Associations Together with Its Historical Events and Festive Celebrations During Nineteen Centuries by William Francis Dawson

So he said "Didn't you never correspond with a girl and put some of them xs down to the bottom of your letter?"

From The Real Dope by Ring Lardner

They imprint certain cabalistic tokens of ownership on the logs,--crosses, xs, stars, crescents, alphabetical letters,--marks respected all along the rivers and lakes down to the boom where the sticks are garnered for market.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 10, No. 58, August, 1862 by Various

I self-consciously x’d out of my browser window, open to three Blythe Harris platforms.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 18, 2014

Some Tottall of the Allowances and paymentes—M,ciijviij'li. viij's. x'd.

From Notes and Queries, Number 01, November 3, 1849 by Various

I got out the chart from its case on the suit's belt, x'd the location, and went on, feeling more lonely all the time.

From Attrition by Roy G. Krenkel

As he scrolled, read, clicked, and x-ed, Tess started coming up with her own ideas on how to birdnap.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

He x-ed out of Google, then sank back into the chair, his head in his hands.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Acknowledging the Pentagon expulsions, Iran’s embassy in South Africa posted photos on social media Friday x-ing out portraits of several top U.S. military officials fired in recent months.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026

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