Xtianity
English
Etymology
1634,[1] from Christianity, replacing Christ with the abbreviation Xt (from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek Χ (Kh, the letter chi), the first letter of Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ”) + t, the last letter of "Christ"). Compare the more common Xmas.
Noun
Xtianity (uncountable)
- Alternative form of Xianity (“abbreviation of Christianity”)
- 1950 December 14, C. S. Lewis, Letter to Sheldon Vanauken[1]:
- I believe Buddhism to be a simplification of Hinduism and Islam to be a simplification of Xtianity.
Usage notes
As with Xmas and Xianity, as of the late 20th century this term may be considered informal and potentially disrespectful, though it was traditionally an unobjectionable scribal abbreviation.
References
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.