X (letter)

X is the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet. Its name is pronounced like the prefix ex-.

Use in English

x, except when beginning a word (when it sounds like z, and is rare) combines the sound of k (kíng) and hissing s (síng): láx lazy sounds exactly like lácks hasn’t. Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see English phonemes): bóx, fáx, áxe, éx-, México, cóxswain (which can also be pronounced like the surname Cóxon), éxcellent, síx, sáx, táx, Réx, fóx, fóxy, tóxic, máximum, exámine, Máx, Báx, wáx, Róxy.

Some people prefer to pronounce it gz, at least in words beginning ex- (but not including the prefix éx- former): exáct, exámine, exàmple.

Before -io- it sounds like ksh: nóxious, ánxious, compléxion.

Often it is followed by a redundant c: excépt, éxcise, excîte, éxcellent although if followed by a back vowel (a, o, u) the c is pronounced k: éxcavate, AmE excŏriate BrE excóriate, exhónerate (-xó-). Words with unstressed ex- can sound as if they begin éx- or íx-, according to the speaker.

But the x sound can also be written, before a front vowel, cc: áccident, áccent, áccess, accépt, Occidéntal, cóccyx.

x is of course itself a consonant cluster, and it begins the following accidental ones: xb, xcl, xl, xm, xt: óxbow, exclâim, áxle, Áxminster, extól.

Final nx is pronounced -ngks: lýnx, mínx, Sphínx, jínx. The pronunciation of ánxious is *ángshəss or *ánkshəss, while anxîety is pronounced *angzîety.

Initial x is rare - and Greek - and sounds like z: xylophone, Xénophon, xénophobe. This can be seen in the two differing x’s in Xërxês (*Zërxêez).

x also sounds like z in French plurals: tábleaux (*táblôz), pláteaux (*plátôz).

There is a silent French x in faux-pàs (*fô-pà).

xx is purely commercial: Éxxon, Bób B. Sóxx (a respelling of bóbby sócks).

See also

• English spellings
• Spelling pronunciation
• Letter (alphabet)
• Alphabet
• Writing system
• Orthography
• Written language
• Writing