Sarah Morgan
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I know it’s a rando question, but: Why do so many abbreviations have X’s?
And these are just the ones I know, not even all the ones that are out there ….
Bx: biopsy
Dx: diagnosis
Fx: special effects
Px: physical exam
Rx: prescription
Sx: symptoms
Tx: treatment
Wx: weather
Fun!
In the psychology world,
Bx = behavior
Fx = function
Hx = history
Tx = therapy (or treatment, as you’ve noted)
Bx: Base Exchange
NEX: Navy Exchange
Vx: Airspeed for best angle of climb
Gx: Gravitational force exuded on the longitudinal axis
GOX: Gaseous Oxygen, I think
LOX: Liquid Oxygen
MUX/I-MUX: Multiplexor / Inverse Multiplexor
Mx: Maintenance
Rx: Receive
Tx: Transmit
Yeah, I’m a geek.
My theory is that other than the ones that are obvious (like homonyms effects and FX or something with an “x” word like Physical Exam), it started out as a substitute for writing a period – you could write an “x” without lifting your pen from the paper, which was quicker.
In my work, we use Tx for transplant (as in the organ kind)
XML: Extensible Markup Language
UX: User Experience
MX: Music cue in a theatrical production
Fx is also fracture
Ex is what most first spouses of physicians become