1890, Modern Latin, from Greek xerosis, from xeros "dry" (see xerasia) + -osis.

"characterized by dryness," 1901, from stem of xero- + -ic.

1952, trademark taken out by Haloid Co. of Rochester, N.Y., for a copying device, from xerography. The verb is first attested 1965, from the noun, despite strenuous objection from the Xerox copyright department. Related: Xeroxed; Xeroxing.

king of Persia who reigned 486-465 B.C.E., Greek Xerxes, from Old Persian Xšayaršan, literally "male (i.e. 'hero') among kings," from Xšaya- "to rule over" (see shah) + aršan "male, man, hero." The Hebrew rendition was Ahashwerosh, Ahashresh.

South African Bantu people, 1801, their self-designation. Also of their language.

fourteenth letter of the Greek alphabet.

ending favored in British English for certain words that in U.S. typically end in -ction, such as connexion, complexion, inflexion, as being more true to the Latin rules.

1660s, genus of swordfish, from Greek xiphias "swordfish," from xiphos "a sword" (see xiphoid). Related: Xiphioid.

"sword-shaped," 1746, from Greek xiphos "a sword," of unknown origin (Klein suggests a Semitic source and compares Hebrew sayif, Arabic sayf) + -oid.

"Christmas," 1551, X'temmas, wherein the X is an abbreviation for Christ in Christmas, English letter X being identical in form (but not sound signification) to Greek chi, the first letter of Greek Christos "Christ" (see Christ). The earlier way to abbreviate the word in English was Xp- or Xr- (corresponding to the "Chr-" in Greek Χριστος), and the form Xres mæsse for "Christmas" appears in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" (c. 1100).