xoxo

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Abbreviation of hugs and kisses, usually placed at the end of a letter.
noun
  1. Alternative form of xoxo (an abbreviation for hugs and kisses, usually placed at the end of a letter.)

Pronunciation

[ɛksəʊɛksəʊ]

Word forms

xoxo xo xoxoxo

Etymology

From use of X/x to mean “kiss” and O/o to mean “hug”. Use of “X” to indicate a kiss attested since 1763, preceded by medieval use of an “X”, which was then kissed by illiterates to indicate a signature. Use of “O” is more recent, and presumably created by analogy (e.g., X/O in tic-tac-toe). Speculative theories on precise origins abound, including folk etymologies.

Synonyms

Related words

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