-x
See also: Appendix:Variations of "x"
English
Suffix
-x
- Used to represent a value that may vary: see x.
- I teach all of the 30x classes. (referring to classes numbered 301, 302, 303, etc)
See also
- x (as in Latinx, etc)
Etymology 2
X is prototypically pronounced [ks] in English; it therefore serves as a convenient shorthand for the digraphs (cs, ks, etc.) or trigraphs (cks etc.) that would otherwise represent that consonant cluster.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ks/
Suffix
-x
- (chiefly US, informal) Used to replace a /ks/ sound, especially in monosyllabic words ending in -cks or -ks.
See also
Suffix
-x
- An abbreviation marker.
Etymology 4
From the use of x as a neutral or nonspecific placeholder.
French
Etymology
From a medieval ligature for -us, which looked similar to the letter x and was ultimately treated as identical to it. Thus Old French voyeus (“vowel”) was also spelt voyex, for instance. Later on the u was reinserted before the -x and this latter thus became an alternative spelling of -s in said position.[1]
Pronunciation
- Silent, except in liaison environments, when it may be pronounced /z‿/. This liaison is usual in adjectives, but fairly rare in nouns.
Suffix
-x
- Used to form the regular plurals of nouns and adjectives in -au and -eu.
- dieu → dieux ― god → gods
- noyau → noyaux ― core → cores
- hébreu → hébreux ― Hebrew → Hebrews
- Used to form the irregular plurals of a few nouns in -ou (which regularly add -s).
- pou → poux ― louse → lice
Derived terms
Category French terms suffixed with -x not found
See also
References
- A.H. Edgren: A compendious French grammar, Boston, 1890, p. 31
Maltese
Etymology
From Arabic شَيْء (šayʔ, “thing”). The same negation suffix is found in most North African and some Levantine dialects of Arabic.
Suffix
-x
Portuguese
Spanish
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