2 ms·
> X-mas -> "christ" Technically: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_(letter) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_(letter) > The 'X' comes from the Greek lette
by throw0101b 4y ago
> X-mas -> "christ"
Technically:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_(letter) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_(letter)
> The 'X' comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Greek: Χριστός, translit. Khristós, lit. "anointed, covered in oil"), which became Christ in English.[1] The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.[2]
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas
- account42 4y agoInteresting, but in popular usage "ex" might be more correct since the main reason for writing "X-mas" instead of Christmas is an attempt to distance the holiday from religion.
- reaperducer 4y agothe main reason for writing "X-mas" instead of Christmas is an attempt to distance the holiday from religion. That's internet revisionist history. The real reason was to save space in writing. "X" as an abbreviation for Christ is very common in Christianity, and has been for a couple of thousand years now. Even Roman Catholic priests' robes have "ΧΡ" on them as an abbreviation for "Christ."† † https://www.catholic.com/qa/what-does-the-symbol-of-the-p-with-an-x-through-the-bottom-of-it-mean https://www.catholic.com/qa/what-does-the-symbol-of-the-p-wi...
- lstamour 4y agohttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho Even the abbreviation has a history. And a couple Unicode symbols: and ⳩ (weirdly, one displays in HN and the other does not.)