Xの意味・使い方・発音

X

英 [eks] 美

X: The entire entry for X in Johnson's dictionary (1756) is: "X is a letter, which, though found in Saxon words, begins no word in the English language." Most English words beginning in -x- are of Greek origin or modern commercial coinages. East Anglian in 14c. showed a tendency to use -x- for initial sh-, sch- (such as xal for shall), which didn't catch on but seems an improvement over the current system. As a symbol of a kiss on a letter, etc., it is recorded from 1765. In malt liquor, XX denoted "double quality" and XXX "strongest quality" (1827).

Algebraic meaning "unknown quantity" (1660 in English, from French), sometimes is said to be from medieval use, originally a crossed -r-, in that case probably from Latin radix (see root (n.)). Other theories trace it to Arabic (Klein), but a more prosaic explanation says Descartes (1637) took x, y, z, the last three letters of the alphabet, for unknowns to correspond to a, b, c, used for known quantities.

Used allusively for "unknown person" from 1797, "something unknown" since 1859. As a type of chromosome, attested from 1902 (first so called in German; Henking, 1891). To designate "films deemed suitable for adults only," first used 1950 in Britain; adopted in U.S. Nov. 1, 1968. The XYZ Affair in American history (1797) involved French agents designated by those letters.
x (v.): "cross out with an 'X'," 1942, from X.

1. I had to go back for my checkup ; they 'd lost my X -rays.: 私は帰ってもう一度健康診断をしなければなりません。彼らは私の X 光片をなくした。

2.A stupid medical clerk had slipped the wrong tab on his X ?ray.: 愚かな医療関係者がうっかりして X フィルムにラベルを貼り間違えた。

3. X ?rays have confirmed that he has not broken any bones.: X 光学フィルムは骨折していないことを確認した。

4.The airline had been screening baggage on X -ray machines.: この航空会社は X 光機を用いて荷物の安全検査を行っている。

5.They took my pulse，took my blood pressure，and X ?rayed my jaw.: 彼らは私に脈拍、血圧を測ってくれて、私の下顎に X 光片を撮ってくれた。