‘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?

• ‘XXX’ refers to something pornographic or explicit, which could be a movie or a website.
• ‘XOXO’ means hugs and kisses.

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:

• My older brother used to rent a lot of movies that were rated XXX. I never knew what that meant until I got older.
• I can’t believe Miss Sanders ended up doing an adult movie. Everyone in town has seen it by now.
• That movie is rated XXX. That means you can’t see it because you’re underage.
• I don’t want you bringing any movies with an X rating into my house. This is a Christian house, George!
• My grandma was PO’d when she found my stash of XXX videos. I might get kicked out after this.

Examples of ‘XOXO’ in Sentences

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

• My son came home with tons of Valentine’s Day cards. One of them had ‘XOXO’ all over the front.
• Leslie decided to make her dad a card for his birthday. On the inside, she wrote ‘XOXO’ and ‘I hope you have the happiest birthday’ to show him that she loved him.
• Remember those little heart candies from elementary school? Some of them used to say ‘XOXO’ on them.
• My best friend signed my yearbook with ‘XOXO.’ So, I returned the favor and signed hers with the same thing.
• I left an 'XOXO' on my boyfriend's mirror to let him know I love him. He'll see it when he gets up and comes in here to get ready for work.

Other Ways to Say ‘XXX’

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

Here are some examples:

• Pornographic
• Pornography
• Adult video
• Adult movie
• Adult content
• Explicit

Other Ways to Say ‘XOXO’

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

Here are some examples:

• Hugs and kisses
• Kisses
• Lots of love
• Loving you
• Sending you hugs and kisses
• Sending you vibrations of love
• Can’t wait to hug and kiss you

Concluding Thoughts on ‘XXX’ and ‘XOXO’

To recap, we learned the following:

• ‘XXX’ is a rating given to a pornographic movie that usually contains some explicit sexual activity.
• ‘XOXO’ stands for hugs and kisses. It's a simple way to let someone know you love them and care about them.

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.