Some other sources such as Today I Found Out also suggest that it got its meaning from resembling the arms encircling someone in a hug. That article goes on to say that 'It could've been formed as a contrast to the x, or adopted because of an aesthetic similarity to what a hug looks like'. Etymology Nerd and Mental Floss say that it was popularised by Jewish immigrants in the United States who refused to use the cross. The use of O to mean a hug is believed to have arisen in North America. The use of X to indicate a kiss is attested since 1763. This can also be confirmed at the Wikipedia article on 'Hugs and kisses'.Īccording to another article on Today I found, “X” first started being used as a substitute for “Christ” by religious scholars about a millennia ago, which is actually how we ultimately got Xmas as an alternative name for Christmas. Some sources I checked say that the signee would then kiss the X to demonstrate that what was written in the document was true. So by signing X, you're saying In Christ's name, I assert_. It was associated with 'Christ' long before that (the Wikipedia article on the letter X says that X is sometimes used as an abbreviation for 'Christ', so 'Xmas' means 'Christmas'). People (mostly illiterate) in those ages used to sign documents using the letter X, probably because it was simple and had religious connotations ( Christian cross). The practice of writing X goes all the way back to Middle Ages, a time when few people were literate. The earliest mention of X and O together dates back to the 1960s.
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