XXXX

What Does XXXX Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

XXXX has several meanings.

More Detail...

On the internet, it is most commonly typed into search engines by users looking for hard-core pornography. XXXX is such a common such term, it is probable that users are looking for pornography more erotic than XXX rather than mistyping inadvertently adding an extra X. Of course, it has other meanings too. There are six common meanings:

Porn Search. Many search engines will not direct you to porn sites even if your search term is a close match or even a perfect match. You will have to type the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) directly into the browser. (See also XNXXX (an attempt to reach www.xnxx.com) and WWWXXX (an attempt to reach www.xxx.com.)

Four Kisses. Typically used as a sign-off at the end of a message, XXXX means four kisses. Why is X a kiss? The origin of X being a kiss dates back to the Middles Ages, when Christians (many of whom were illiterate and could only manage an X) sealed an envelope or signed a document with a "cross" as a sign of faith and honesty. The X was then kissed as a sign of sincerity. Why X not +? It is unknown whether the X represents the cross or the holy symbol for Christ, deriving from ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (the Greek word for Christ). It is probable that both traditions contributed to X being a kiss.

Four Undisclosed Letters (i.e., a swear word). In Algebra (the origin of which is credited to Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi), an X represents an unknown value. In writing, X is often used in place of letters in a swear word so readers are less offended (e.g., Stop being a twxt!) Often, all four letters are represented by Xs (e.g., Honestly, just XXXX off!)

Confectioners Sugar. Powdered sugar comes in varying degrees of fineness, most commonly XXX, XXXX, and XXXXXXXXXX (that's 10 Xs). The more Xs, the finer the particles. XXXX is commonly used by confectioners.

Australian Beer Often called Castlemaine or Fourex, XXXX is brewed in Brisbane by Queensland brewers Castlemaine Perkins. In beer-making, Xs have long been used to indicate the strength of an ale.

A Character from the film "Layer Cake." In the 2004 British crime film Layer Cake, James Bond actor Daniel Craig plays a London-based criminal called XXXX, who wishes to leave the cocaine-import business, much to his bosses' displeasure.

Video Summarizing the Meanings of XXXX

Here is a short video explaining the six different meanings of XXXX:

Image for XXXX

When I write XXXX, I mean this:

It has many meanings.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

XXXX
Definition:	Four Kisses
Type:	Symbol
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults, Teenagers, and Under 13s

Examples of XXXX in Sentences

Here is an example of XXXX in a conversation:

Johnny: If you Google XXXX, you don't get a porn site.
Timmy: Type the URL directly into the browser.

An Academic Look at XXXX

In all definitions, X is classified as a symbol as opposed to a letter. The main exception to this is when X represents the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Jesus. For movie ratings, the X represents "no" or "banned." It most likely represents two boards preventing access to a doorway but could also derive from the bones of the skull and crossbones.