Xerosis, Xylophobia, Xenomorph
Who’s your favorite superhero from Marvel's X-Men? Has anyone ever wished you a merry Xmas? Have you ever been told that X marks the spot? Have you ever gone to get an X-ray done?
The letter X is the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet, and possibly the most fun to handwrite (I certainly think it is).
Composed of two lines intersecting at their center, X has arguably the most symbolic utility of any letter and the variance of its use is wider than you would expect!
Take a good look at the next clock tower you see, chances are the hands are pointing to the Roman numeral for ten, no other than X itself.
In mathematics X is used as both a variable and the multiplication sign. A child’s drawing may crudely show characters with Xs over their eyes.
A trip to the wrong side of town may reveal some buildings with XXX written in their windows, you might want to steer clear of those establishments!
Perhaps you’ll read XOXO beside a signature at the bottom of a love letter, to denote hugs and kisses sent through the mail!
We have below, a series of one hundred fifty negative words which all begin with the letter X, words which indicate fear, such as Xylophobia (a fear of wooded areas), or the unknown such as Xenomorph (an alien organism from outer space), even medical terms such as Xerosis (denoting a condition of dry scaly skin).
Negative Words Starting With X To Describe A Person Or Thing
We briefly mentioned the word xenomorph earlier and it has a lot in common with, but at the same time is very different from our next word - xenophobia.
The beginning of each word - Xeno, means foreign, or guest, even alien, and may lead someone without context to believe xenophobia means a fear of aliens from outer space, which I admit, as a young student confused me!
Xenophobia, as it is commonly used, is a dislike, fear or hatred of things foreign. Whereas a xenomorph is a creature from beyond the stars, such as is featured in the 1979 space horror film Alien.
Too many migrants, expats and tourists have experienced first hand the negativity and damage of xenophobia.
Due to advances in travel and communications technologies, different cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds are interacting with one another at a rate and depth never before possible for human kind, yet in these technological advances most societies have not left behind old fears and negative generalizations of foreign people and their ways.
Xenophobic ideologies can spread fast over social media platforms and tend to appeal to people who feel confused or threatened by cultural changes close to their own lives or which they perceive online.
Negative generalizations about foreign groups and often a lack of understanding of our common humanity fuel xenophobic philosophies.
If you turn on the TV lately it seems like Xenophobia is slowly gaining more of a foothold in popular politics, and I don’t know about you but I’m tired of it!
Last time you were at a movie theater you may have noticed that some of the trailers or posters that you saw featured a rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Films suitable for children may be rated at PG (parental guidance), suggesting that a child would best understand the film with a parent to guide them through any challenging or disturbing parts of the film.
PG - 13 is given to films which the MPAA suggests appropriate for adolescent viewing, featuring few swear words, but potentially violent situations which may be more disturbing or visceral than their PG film counterparts.
At the most extreme end of the MPAA’s rating system is the X-rated film.
An X rating implies that the film’s subject matter is pornagraphic or excessively violent and disturbing.
Most films which ever received X ratings were never intended for large audiences, and played in smaller, “adult only” theaters.
It might surprise you to learn that many highly acclaimed commercial films were slapped with X ratings in order to limit the exposure of their extreme content to general audiences.
One of Al Pacino’s most dark and intense performances was originally given an X rating in what would become the classic crime film Scarface!
There was so much nudity, wanton violence and profanity in the film that the MPAA didn’t think it appropriate for mainstream theaters.
Upon receiving the X rating, the director quickly made edits to the film until it could be more broadly shown under an R rating - the most extreme rating a film could get with a mainstream theater release.
Uncommonly, there are filmmakers who seek out an X rating for the notoriety attached to it.
Films which try to be extreme in their portrayals of disturbing content beyond what is socially acceptable to view as entertainment can sometimes gain a niche cult audience of extreme filmgoers.
Films such as Robocop, A Clockwork Orange and even the winner of 1969’s Oscar for best picture, Midnight Cowboy were all X-rated in their original cuts. Many films were re-edited in order to get the R (Restricted) rating.
Nowadays the X rating has been replaced by something you may have seen in a theater recently, the NC 17 rating, which prohibits those under the age of 17 to watch the film without a supervising adult.
I’ll stick to my cozy romantic comedies, but if you can stomach it, there are many highly regarded films which once received the X rating!
Negative Words Starting With X To Describe A Person Or Thing
1. "Xerosis"
2. "Xenophobe"
3. "Xylopolist"
4. "Xeriscape"
5. "Xerography"
6. "Xenoglossy"
7. "Xerostomia"
8. "Xerophthalmia"
9. "Xylotomy"
10. "Xenophobia"
11. "Xanthoma"
12. "Xenodiagnosis"
13. "Xylophagous"
14. "Xenomania"
15. "Xylophone"
16. "Xanthopsia"
17. "X-rated"
18. "Xanthophobia"
19. "Xyrophobia"
20. "Xeroderma"
21. "Xenoarchaeology"
22. "Xenotropic"
23. "Xenodochial"
24. "Xylol"
25. "Xerosis cutis"
26. "Xerophilous"
27. "Xenogamy"
28. "Xerarch"
29. "Xanthic"
30. "Xerophyte"
31. "Xylophonic"
32. "Xiphoid"
33. "Xylography"
34. "Xerobiotic"
35. "Xerophytic"
36. "Xyresic"
Adverbs Starting With Letter X
Need to spice up your prose? Your sentences can come alive with a few well placed adverbs.
Your verbs and adjectives can become much more descriptive and useful to a reader with an adverb’s thoughtful use.
Take care to not go overboard, beginning writers often smother their action in adverbs and adjectives, their overuse can crowd your sentences unnecessarily! X, among its other letters of the alphabet has some of the most obscure and distinct adverbs attributed to it.
Do you remember when we briefly mentioned the medical condition xerosis? The adverb xerically comes from the same roots, pertaining to dryness.
A xeric landscape is one devoid of moisture and characterized by its dryness. You could use xerically in the following sentence; The desert sand was sunbaked and cracked by a xerically oppressive heat.
In this sentence the adjective oppressive is enhanced by xerically, giving the oppressive heat a dry and arid quality reminiscent of the hottest, driest summer days.
Does anyone else need a glass of water?
Adverbs Starting With Letter X
37. "Xenoplastically"
38. "Xylophonically"
39. "Xerographically"
40. "Xylographically"
41. "Xenoglossically"
42. "Xerophytically"
43. "Xenophobically"
44. "Xerically"
45. "Xenogenetically"
46. "Xenobiotically"
47. "Xeromammographically"
48. "Xeroradiographically"
49. "Xenomorphously"
Obscure Words Starting With Letter X
A strong vocabulary can help you convey your meaning decisively and your readers will have a chance to deepen their own vocabulary when you are able to communicate complex ideas with exactly the right words.
To gain a strong vocabulary, it is necessary to broaden your knowledge of words into the more obscure - words that while not common, may be the perfect word you’ve been searching for.
Obscure words are simply fun to know, words whose definitions lead you down investigations of old and unused yet nevertheless quirkily interesting vocabulary.
Among all obscure words, the most interesting ones often begin with the letter X! Have you ever used the word Xenurine?
I’d be surprised if you had, as it is actually an obsolete term. The word refers to armadillo’s from the Xenurus genus, now called the cabassous genus.
Imagine a small South American armadillo with large claws and a naked tail rustling through the Brazilian rainforest or an open grassland, foraging for food.
Xography is photography with a quality of three dimensionality created by using advanced camera techniques and modifications.
Xography makes a two dimensional image appear to be three dimensional. Xography is not immensely popular due to the specific screens used behind the camera’s shutter and lens.
However, it may be an interesting niche of photography for any interested photographers to investigate, or even those interested in photography history.
Obscure Words Starting With Letter X
50. "Xerocopy"
51. "Xenophilia"
52. "Xenomancy"
53. "Xerasia"
54. "Xylan"
55. "Xiphosuran"
56. "Xeransis"
57. "Xenomorphic"
58. "Xerodermia"
59. "Xenurine"
60. "Xiphophyllous"
61. "Xylogenous"
62. "Xyloid"
63. "Xography"
64. "Xenomenia"
65. "Xylometer"
66. "Xeric"
67. "Xylology"
68. "Xenops"
69. "Xyloglyphy"
70. "Xylocarp"
71. "Xylomancy"
72. "Xeroradiography"
73. "Xylary"
74. "Xerophobous"
75. "Xoanon"
76. "Xerothermic"
77. "Xesturgy"
78. "Xylem"
79. "Xerophily"
80. "Xilinous"
81. "Xerophagy"
82. "Xerotripsis"
83. "Xiphopagus"
84. "Xiphias"
85. "Xerotic"
Unusual Words Starting With Letter X
Unusual words might be words you don’t hear too often. You can be sure to impress others by utilizing some of these unusual words.
For example, let's consider the word xerochilia, which refers to a dryness of the lips. If you live in a cold climate like I do for most of the year, xerochilia can be a real problem.
I don’t go very far without a stick of lip balm in my pocket!
Unusual Words Starting With Letter X
86. "Xystarch"
87. "Xylophory"
88. "Xanthareel"
89. "Xylopyrography"
90. "Xylotherapy"
91. "Xanthippe"
92. "Xyster"
93. "Xylotomous"
94. "Xyston"
95. "Xylophilous"
96. "Xanthocomic"
97. "Xanthocarpous"
98. "Xanthophyll"
99. "Xanthoderm"
100. "Xanthometer"
101. "Xanthochroia"
102. "Xanthocyanopsy"
103. "Xanthodont"
104. "Xanthochroic"
105. "Xystus"
106. "Xylotypographic"
107. "Xylorimba"
108. "Xebec"
109. "Xenodochium"
110. "Xanthospermous"
111. "Xenodocheionology"
112. "Xenial"
113. "Xanthous"
114. "Xenocracy"
115. "Xenagogue"
116. "Xenobiotic"
117. "Xenomorph"
118. "Xenogenesis"
119. "Xeme"
120. "Xenium"
121. "Xenoglossia"
122. "Xenolith"
123. "Xenogeneic"
124. "Xenology"
125. "Xenotransplantation"
126. "Xenogenous"
127. "Xenolalia"
128. "Xenization"
129. "X-Division"
130. "Xenagogy"
131. "Xenodochy"
132. "X-Catcher"
133. "Xeniatrophobia"
134. "X-Double-Minus"
135. "Xylographer"
136. "Xylanthrax"
137. "Xtal"
138. "Xerochilia"
Words Starting With Letter X Representing Negative Emotion & Feelings
Having the right word to describe how you feel is always helpful, even when those feelings are negative.
Many people have a great fear of the forest. This is based largely on the fear of getting lost.
When surrounded by great trees one can feel very small and unimportant.
The word for this specific fear is xylophobia.
Words Starting With Letter X Representing Negative Emotion & Feelings
139. "Xenogenic"
140. "Xeniality"
141. "Xylophobia"
142. "Xerophilic"
143. "Xenolithic"
144. "Xeromorphic"
145. "Xiphisternal"
Legendary Creatures Starting With Letter X
Many ancient legends or religions make use of monstrous or miraculous creatures built in the collective imaginations of old civilizations.
Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Aztec civilization of South America had created a mythical monster of the forest, the Xiuhcoatl.
Said to be the spirit form of the Aztec fire deity, the Xiuhcoatl was said to have led the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, through the sky, transforming into an atlatl (a spearlike dart thrown at prey or enemies from a wooden launcher) when the sun god would rain magical electric darts down on his foes from the skies.
Reminds me of the lightning bolts of Zeus from ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
The Xiuhcoatl is also represented as a fire serpent, sent from the sun in the dry seasons to start wildfires.
A serpent dance was performed in ancient rituals with fire, dances and paper serpents, to symbolize the Xiuhcoatl in ritual.
There is also archeological evidence linking the Xiuhcoatl to the terrifying blood sacrifice ceremonies of the Aztec.
Legendary Creatures Starting With Letter X
146. "Xelhua"
147. "Xanthus"
148. "Xiuhcoatl"
149. "Xiao"
150. "Xana"
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some negative words that start with X?
Some negative words that start with X include "xenophobic," "x-rated," and "xenocide." These words carry negative connotations and should be used with caution.
Are there many negative words that start with the letter X?
No, there are not many negative words that start with X compared to other letters. X is a less common starting letter for negative words, but a few examples do exist.
Why are there fewer negative words starting with X?
The letter X is not commonly associated with negative concepts in the English language. Negative words often begin with letters like A, B, C, or S. However, the limited number of negative words starting with X adds uniqueness to the few that do exist.
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