THE LETTER 'X' IS A PHENOMENON.

X is not simply another letter!

Though X is the 24^th letter of the English alphabet and the least used yet it is formidable in its persona. It is powerful, it is mysterious, and it is iconic and somewhat vain. Its symbolism has multiple profound references in history.

Here is a short sampling of X in some of its numerous avatars:

X growls its way in words with dominance. It makes its presence felt come what may.

X words enjoy the literary onomatopoetic effect. EXaggerated (hyperbolic) and eXcruciating are good examples of words where the jarring sound nearly hints at the meaning. Phonetically these demand tough articulation in tune with their semantics.

You can’t ignore the word ‘eXtraordinay’ for example. It is special, awesome much more than the ordinary.

Some X words possess slightly negative connotations. ‘Extreme’, ‘Excess’-something not desirable,  ‘Xenophobia’-fear of foreigners- something frowned upon. In clothing, line XL- extra-large and XS extra small signify the choice of the few.

X’s presence in some words invariably characterizes them with elements of mischief, intrigue, chauvinism or an authority or novelty e.g. Axe, tax, sex, maximum, Xerox, axis, nexus, Xanax (name of medicine).

Then there are original expressions having alluring properties, which make you sit up and think. You are enticed to explore their origins, meanings, and contexts. A few of them are:

Xmas- Its spiritual association with Christianity. X is an abbreviation of Christ, which has been accepted for centuries.

X rated- drawn towards sex or pornography.

Generation X- those born between 1969-1979 in America.

Malcolm X – a Muslim revolutionary.

X rays – A diagnostic tool.

X sports- short for extreme sports with the risky and daredevil component.

Swastika X or cross- signifies evil, used by Hitler in Nazi Germany.

X files- documents containing mysterious and secret information about state matters.

X a sign of multiplication in Mathematics and in Algebra signifying a variable.

X stands for the Roman numeral 10.

X has many more diverse, historical and exciting associations waiting to be explored.

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