‘XXX' and 'XOXO’: Meaning, Definitions, and Examples

Have you seen someone write ‘XXX or ‘XOXO’ and wondered what they meant? What do each of these mean, and what are some ways you can reply?

What Does ‘XXX’ and ‘XOXO’ Mean?

‘XXX’ is a rating given to an adult or pornographic videos. If you come across something like this, be aware that there will be sexually explicit adult content in whatever you’re viewing or reading.

‘XOXO’ is a shorthanded way of saying ‘hugs and kisses.’ You might see this a lot during Valentine’s Day. People often give out candies with little ‘X’s’ and ‘O’s’ on them.

One of the most famous lines from the hit show Gossip Girl was:

“You know me, and you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl.”

In the show, it was her sign-off phrase. It marked the end of a new post.

But the ‘X’s’ represent hugs. If you look at an ‘x,’ it almost looks like two sticks hugging. And the ‘O’s’ represent a kiss. They resembled the circular shape of an open mouth.

It’s simply a light-hearted way of expressing love and affection for someone or a deep friendship.

Where Does ‘XXX’ Come From?

The ‘XXX’ rating comes from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). In 1968, the organization introduced the X-rating to classify movies that depicted adult-only content. This type of content usually contained explicit language and sexual activity.

The letter ‘X’ was chosen because the word ‘explicit’ contains an ‘x.’

The first film to be rated ‘X’ was Robert De Niro’s debut film ‘Greetings.’

The adult film industry began embracing the X-rating in the 1970s, and producers started marking films with three ‘x’s’ to let consumers know the film was extra sexy and wild.

There’s even officially a website extension that supports X-rated content. Sites normally end in .com, .edu, .co, or .org, but now a website can be .xxx, as of 2010, thanks to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Where Does ‘XOXO’ Come From?

While no one knows exactly where ‘XOXO’ came from, one theory states that it can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The theory is that not everyone could read or write, so they used symbols instead of words.

Another theory states that ‘XOXO’ comes from Christianity. Some say that the X resembles a cross, and it was seen as a salutation representing goodwill.

We do know that one of the first times ‘XOXO’ was published was in a letter in 1960, according to The Washington Post.

Examples of ‘XXX’ in Sentences

How would you use ‘XXX’ in a sentence? Let’s look at some examples:

Examples of ‘XOXO’ in Sentences

How would you use ‘XOXO’ in a sentence? Let’s look at some examples:

Other Ways to Say ‘XXX’

What are some other phrases that convey a similar meaning as ‘XXX’?

Here are some examples:

Other Ways to Say ‘XOXO’

What are some other phrases that convey a similar meaning as ‘XOXO?

Here are some examples:

Concluding Thoughts on ‘XXX’ and ‘XOXO’

To recap, we learned the following:

These two terms clearly mean two totally different things. That’s why it’s best to avoid using them interchangeably.

If you ever get confused about what either of these terms means, you can always come back to review what you learned. We’ve got an entire library full of articles on Idioms you can browse anytime. Go check it out.

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