Words That Start with the Letter X for Kids
Find a list of letter X words, letter X activities, and tips for teaching the letter X sound and words to your child.
These lists of letter X words for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students aim to help children get familiar with the letter X sound and expand their vocabulary with a list of letter X words. You’ll find letter X word lists featuring words that begin with the letter X, such as x-ray, and words that contain the letter X, such as excited.
Young learners may not be able to read many of these words on their own. Adults can read unknown words aloud to their children, helping them hear the beginning letter X sound. Simply print out our list of letter X words to work on with your child, along with our letter X pictures to help your child gain an understanding of what these new words mean.
Pick and choose the words you feel are appropriate for your child, and remember that this list can be used to familiarize your child with the sound of the letter X, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
Older children can practice reading the lists of letter X words and their definitions on their own or with an adult. Each word is also used in a sentence to help children understand the word’s meaning. Our lists include words that may act as review for your child, as well as words that will challenge them.
You can further enhance your child’s learning with our list of letter X activities for children and find tips on teaching new words and sounds to your child at the bottom of this page.
Lists of Letter X Words
Select the words that you think are suitable for your child. Keep in mind that these lists of words can be used to help familiarize your child with the sound of the letter X, act as a list for vocabulary building, or be used for spelling practice. Younger children will likely need you to read the list to them.
3-Letter Words with X
☐ box: a container with flat sides and a lid. “She packed her toys into a box.”
☐ fax: a method of sending documents electronically. “He sent the paperwork via fax.”
☐ fix: to repair something. “She needs to fix the broken chair.”
☐ fox: a wild animal with a bushy tail. “The fox sneaked through the woods.”
☐ mix: to combine two or more substances. “She likes to mix colors when she paints.”
Simple Preschool Words with Letter X
☐ six: the number after five. “She has six apples.”
☐ tax: a required payment to the government. “They paid their income tax.”
☐ wax: a sticky substance used to make candles or polish. “She used wax to shine the furniture.”
☐ exit: a way out of a place. “They looked for the exit sign.”
☐ next: coming immediately after. “She is next in line.”
☐ text: written or printed words. “He read the text on the screen.”
Kindergarten Words with Letter X
☐ taxi: a car that you pay to take you somewhere. “They took a taxi to the airport.”
☐ text: written or printed words. “He read the text on the screen.”
☐ extra: more than is usual or necessary. “She asked for extra help.”
☐ relax: to rest and become less tense. “She likes to relax after a long day.”
☐ x-ray: a type of radiation used for medical imaging. “The doctor took an x-ray of her arm.”
Elementary Words with Letter X
☐ complex: consisting of many different and connected parts. “The puzzle was complex and challenging.”
☐ exhibition: a public display of works of art or items of interest. “They visited the art exhibition.”
☐ explain: to make something clear or easy to understand. “She tried to explain the rules of the game.”
☐ flux: the action or process of flowing. “The river was in a constant state of flux.”
☐ galaxy: a large system of stars held together by gravity. “The Milky Way is a galaxy.”
☐ maximum: the greatest amount or degree possible. “She reached the maximum score.”
Food Words with Letter X
☐ flaxseed: the seed of the flax plant, used as food. “She adds flaxseed to her smoothies.”
☐ fox grape: a type of grape native to North America. “They found fox grapes growing in the wild.”
☐ extra virgin olive oil: high-quality olive oil. “She cooks with extra virgin olive oil.”
☐ tex-mex: a style of cooking combining Mexican and Texan cuisine. “They ordered Tex-Mex for dinner.”
☐ ximenia: a type of fruit also known as wild plum. “They tasted ximenia for the first time.”
☐ xylocarp: a fruit with a hard, woody pericarp. “Coconuts are an example of a xylocarp.”
Animal Words with Letter X
☐ axolotl: a type of salamander. “The axolotl is known for its ability to regenerate limbs.”
☐ box turtle: a type of turtle with a domed shell. “They found a box turtle in the garden.”
☐ ox: a large domesticated bovine animal. “The farmer used an ox to plow the field.”
☐ xenops: a small bird found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. “The xenops searches for insects on tree trunks.”
☐ xerus: an African ground squirrel. “The xerus foraged for food in the savanna.”
☐ xiphosuran: a member of a group of arthropods that includes horseshoe crabs. “Xiphosurans have existed for millions of years.”
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Object Words with Letter X
☐ axle: a rod or spindle passing through the center of a wheel. “The car’s axle was broken.”
☐ index: an alphabetical list of subjects with references. “He looked up the term in the index.”
☐ xylophone: a musical instrument with wooden bars. “She played a tune on the xylophone.”
☐ toolbox: a container for holding tools. “He grabbed his toolbox for the repair.”
Places Words with Letter X
☐ exhibition hall: a place where pictures, painting, sculptures, or other items of interest are displayed. “Let’s go to the exhibition hall to see that photography display.”
☐Phoenix: capital of the state of Arizona. “We’re going to Phoenix for a family reunion.”
☐ xerox room: a room equipped with photocopying machines. “She made copies in the xerox room.”
Nature and Environment Words with Letter X
☐ axis: an imaginary line about which a body rotates. “The Earth spins on its axis.”
☐ exoplanet: a planet outside our solar system. “Scientists discovered an exoplanet orbiting a distant star.”
☐ xenia: the effect of foreign pollen on a plant’s endosperm. “The study of xenia is important in botany.”
Emotions and Traits Words with Letter X
☐ excited: very happy and eager. “She was excited about her birthday.”
☐ extraordinary: unusual or remarkable. “He has an extraordinary talent for music.”
☐ exhausted: very tired. “After the marathon, she was exhausted.”
☐ expert: someone who is knowledgeable or skilled in a particular area. “She is an expert in computer programming.”
☐ exuberant: full of energy and enthusiasm. “The children were exuberant on the last day of school.”
Action Words with Letter X
☐ expand: to become larger. “The company plans to expand its operations.”
☐ expect: to think that something will happen. “They expect good weather tomorrow.”
☐ explain: to make something clear or easy to understand. “She tried to explain the rules of the game.”
☐ explore: to travel through an area to learn about it. “They want to explore the new city.”
☐ extinguish: to put out a fire or light. “The firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.”
☐ exude: to give off or release. “The plant began to exude a sticky sap.”
☐ examine: to inspect or study closely. “The doctor will examine the patient.”
☐ execute: to carry out a plan or action. “They need to execute the project carefully.”
☐ exercise: to engage in physical activity. “She likes to exercise every morning.”
☐ express: to convey a thought or feeling in words or actions. “He expressed his gratitude.”
☐ extend: to make something longer or larger. “They plan to extend the building.”
☐ extract: to remove or take out. “The machines extract orange juice from the oranges.”
Letter X Words – Advanced
☐ xanthein: a yellow pigment found in flowers. “The xanthein gave the petals their bright color.”
☐ xanthic: relating to or containing yellow pigment. “The xanthic hues of the butterfly’s wings were beautiful.”
☐ xanthophyll: a yellow pigment found in plants. “Xanthophylls contribute to the colors of autumn leaves.”
☐ xeric: characterized by or adapted to a dry environment. “Cacti are xeric plants.”
☐ xeriscape: a landscaping method that conserves water. “They decided to xeriscape their yard to save water.”
☐ xerophyte: a plant adapted to grow in dry conditions. “The aloe vera is a well-known xerophyte.”
☐ xyloma: a tumor or growth in the wood of a tree. “The tree was examined for signs of xyloma.”
☐ xylorimba: a percussion instrument combining the xylophone and marimba. “The xylorimba has a unique sound.”
☐ xylograph: an engraving on wood. “The artist created a beautiful xylograph.”
☐ xystus: a covered portico or walkway in ancient Greek architecture. “The xystus provided shade and shelter.”
2-Letter X Words
☐ xi: the 14th letter of the Greek alphabet. “Xi is a Greek letter.”
☐ xu: a type of money used in Vietnam. “He exchanged his dollars for xu.”
4-Letter X Words
☐ Xi’an: a city in China. “The Xi’an cuisine is famous for its flavors.”
☐ xing: an abbreviation on signs marking pedestrian crossings, especially for pedestrians. “The sign near the crosswalk read ‘xing.’”
5-Letter X Words
☐ xebec: a small three-masted Mediterranean sailing ship. “The xebec sailed smoothly across the sea.”
☐ xenia: hospitality given to strangers or guests. “The xenia shown by the hosts was remarkable.”
☐ xenon: a chemical element, a noble gas. “Xenon is used in some types of lighting.”
☐ xeric: relating to a dry environment. “The plant is adapted to xeric conditions.”
☐ xylem: the vascular tissue in plants that conducts water. “Water is transported through the xylem.”
6-Letter X Words
☐ xylene: a solvent used in chemistry. “Xylene is used in the preparation of laboratory chemicals.”
☐ xyloid: resembling wood. “The fossil had a xyloid texture.”
☐ xylose: a type of sugar found in wood. “Xylose is used in the production of biofuels.”
7-Letter X Words
☐ xanthan: a substance used as a food additive and thickening agent. “Xanthan gum is often used in gluten-free baking.”
☐ xanthin: a yellow pigment. “Xanthin is found in the petals of certain flowers.”
☐ xennial: referring to people born between Generation X and Millennials. “Xennial experiences often combine analog and digital childhood memories.”
☐ xylitol: a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. “Xylitol is often found in sugar-free gum.”
Free Printable Letter X Words Lists
Simply download and print our PDFs of the letter X word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter X words and the other lists features our letter X words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter X Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter X words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter X sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter X word. You can choose from our printable letter X words with pictures to color or letter X words with illustrations.
Letter X Activities
Letter X Song:
Learning about the letter X is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter X Worksheets:
These free printable letter X worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter X, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Tips for Teaching Letter X Words
- Save It for Later
The letter X sound is tricky for young children to learn as it sounds like two sounds in one (like /k/ and /s/ combined into /ks/). Just as it comes towards the end of the alphabet, the letter X sound should be among the last sounds your child learns.
- Practice, Practice, Practice
Because the letter X doesn’t appear commonly in words, it can take intentional practice for children to get the hang of it. Use the letter X word lists, showing how the X sound works when the letter X is used within a word, such as exit, versus how it can sound when it starts a word, like xylophone.
- Find the X
Use the letter X word lists above to challenge your child to find the letter X sound in each word. As you go through the lists, say each word and have your child point to the X in the word at the same time they produce the letter X sound when saying the word.
Additional Resources
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