Why "XOXO" Mean "Hugs and Kisses"?

Answer 1

See site for short answer!

Answer 2

The history of "X" is a bit clearer than that of "O"

There is an ancient tradition of illiterate or semi-literate people signing documents by making an "X". In medieval times the X had heightened meaning because it was also interpeted as a sign of the cross and of the name "Christ" (because the Greek letter with which this word begins looks like "X"). Partly because of this religious significance the practice grew up of kissing the document on the "X" as a sign of a solemn pledge or oath.

The association of "X" with the kiss might have been reinforced by the idea that the sign itself looked like a simple drawing of two mouths meeting in a kiss.

One other fascinating possibility is based on the NAME of "X" -- the letter X in spanish is named "equis" which has the same pronunciation that "a kiss". Even if this not the origin of the association, it could not help but strenghen it. (Frankly, it's in some ways more logical than the idea that a practice of "kissing the X" resulting in X standing FOR a kiss. If there were better documentary evidence, esp showing how a basically SPANISH explanation ended up affecting ENGLISH usage, I'd be tempted to go with this explanation.)

The use of "O" for a hug is less certain, but the varous explanations all relate it to its PAIRING with X. Some say that Jews would sign with an "O" instead of the Christian "X" (though that itself would not quite explain the association with "hug"). Others see the pairing of X and O in tic-tac-toe as the origin. Of course, both of these raise the question of why "O" would be chosen to pair with X. No doubt the ultimate explanation is the very simple one that the "O" or a circle is a very basic shape that anyone can quickly and roughly draw.

At any rate, from this PAIRING of "O" with "X" it is not surprising that the association of the latter with a kiss would one day result in re-interpreting the other member of the pair in a related way. The fact that a hug is a natural pair with a kiss, and that the symbol might ALSO be thought of as a drawing of an actual hug (arms wrapped around another person) just as X came to be thought of as a picture of lips kissing, made it all the easier.

Answer 3

Where did the custom of putting Xs and Os at the bottom of a letter come from?
The first mention in literature of XXX for kisses at the bottom of a letter was in 1901, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The X itself is very old.

The custom goes back to the early Christian era, when a cross mark or "X" was the same as a sworn oath. The cross referred to the cross of Calvary and the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Xristos.

Even as little as a hundred and fifty years ago, not many people could read or write. The "X" at the bottom of a document took the place of a signature. They would kiss the "X" as a crucifix or bible was kissed to emphasize the importance of the mark. It was this practice that lead to the "X" representing a kiss.

There isn't much known about the beginnings of the "O". It is a North American custom. The "O" represents the arms in a circle around another person. Arms crossed in front of you do not mean the "X" as a hug! The "O" is the hug.

In "The Joys of Yiddish" by Leo Rosten, it is noted that illiterate immigrants (or those who did not know Roman-English letters) would generally sign entry forms with an "X" but Jews preferred an "O" to avoid making something that looked like a cross. Also, shopkeepers and salesmen would similarly sign receipts with a circle. Could this be the origin of the "O"?

Or could it have developed from the game of tic tac toe, where one player uses the "X" and another the "O", leading people to think that the "O" was the hug, as the "X" is the kiss.

Answer 4

not sure about the O, but the X comes from roman times when very few people were actually literate enough to even write their own name. when signing a document, they would make an X and then kiss it as a sign they were swearing to the authenticity of the X ("that is my X"). this is also the origin of the expression "sealed with a kiss", which has since come full circle, so to speak, with senders writing SWAK across an envelope flap so the receiver can tell if it's been opened before they got it.

Answer 5

If you look at the letters closely, you can kind of figure it out. X= kisses b/c people slant their heads and if you have a bird's eye view, its an X. Now an O= hugs because your arm stretches to the other person in a circular shape like an O. i hope this helps!

Answer 6

I think because when you kiss....you cross paths and make contact....hence the X....and when you hug, you open your arms and encircle the other person....hence the O. Not sure why in a technical sense, but this is what I have always thought!

Answer 7

I always understood it as the "X" represents when you hug someone and your arm cross and the "O" represents the rounds of your lips when you pucker up to kiss.

Answer 8

"oxox" would be hugs ad kises, "xoxo" is kises and hugs.."X" is ike the lips pursed n a kiss, and "O" is like the arms embracing around someone...

Answer 9

X is like the shape of lips when they meet.
O signifies arms wrapped around someone.

Answer 10

it was code in the olden days. It allowed the person cheating to conceal an affair from their spouse.

Answer 11

idk i guess the O represents a hug cuz you wrap your arms around the person and it makes the circle. The X represents the a kiss because your pucker you lips...i guess