Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

Xenophobia comes from the Greek words xenos , meaning 'stranger', and phobos , meaning 'fear'.

xeno|pho|bic /ze nəfoʊ b I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as xenophobic , you disapprove of them because they show strong dislike or fear of people from other countries. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □  Xenophobic nationalism is on the rise. □  Stalin was obsessively xenophobic.

Xer|ox /z I ə rɒks/ (Xeroxes , Xeroxing , Xeroxed )

1 N‑COUNT [usu N n] A Xerox is a machine that can make copies of pieces of paper which have writing or other marks on them. [TRADEMARK ] □  The rooms are crammed with humming Xerox machines.

2 N‑COUNT A Xerox is a copy of something written or printed on a piece of paper, which has been made using a Xerox machine.

3 VERB If you Xerox a document, you make a copy of it using a Xerox machine. □ [V n] I should have simply Xeroxed this sheet for you.

XmasXmas is used in informal written English to represent the word Christmas. □  Merry Xmas!

X -ray (X-rays , X-raying , X-rayed ) also x-ray

1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] X-rays are a type of radiation that can pass through most solid materials. X-rays are used by doctors to examine the bones or organs inside your body and are also used at airports to see inside people's luggage.

2 N‑COUNT An X-ray is a picture made by sending X-rays through something, usually someone's body. □  She was advised to have an abdominal X-ray.

3 VERB If someone or something is X-rayed , an X-ray picture is taken of them. □ [be V -ed] All hand baggage would be x-rayed. □ [V n] They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.

xy|lo|phone /za I ləfoʊn/ (xylophones ) N‑COUNT A xylophone is a musical instrument which consists of a row of wooden bars of different lengths. You play the xylophone by hitting the bars with special hammers.

Yy

Y , y /wa I / (Y's, y's )

1 N‑VAR Y is the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet.

2 N‑SING A YMCA or YWCA hostel is sometimes referred to as the Y . [AM , INFORMAL ] □  I took him to the Y.

SUFFIX -y

1 forms adjectives that mean that something is like something else. For example, if something looks silky , it looks like silk, although it is not actually silk.

2 also forms adjectives that indicate that something is full of something else or covered in it. For example, if something is dirty , it is covered with dirt.

yacht ◆◇◇ /jɒ t/ (yachts ) N‑COUNT A yacht is a large boat with sails or a motor, used for racing or pleasure trips. □  …a round-the-world yacht race.

yacht|ing /jɒ t I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Yachting is the sport or activity of sailing a yacht. □  …the yachting regatta.

yachts|man /jɒ tsmən/ (yachtsmen ) N‑COUNT A yachtsman is a man who sails a yacht.

yachts|woman /jɒ tswʊmən/ (yachtswomen ) N‑COUNT A yachtswoman is a woman who sails a yacht.

ya|hoo (yahoos ) Pronounced /jɑːhuː / for meaning 1 , and /jɑː huː/ for meaning 2 . 1 EXCLAM People sometimes shout ' yahoo! ' when they are very happy or excited about something.

2 N‑COUNT Some people refer to young rich people as yahoos when they disapprove of them because they behave in a noisy, extravagant, and unpleasant way. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

yak /jæ k/ (yaks or yak ) N‑COUNT A yak is a type of cattle that has long hair and long horns. Yaks live mainly in the Himalayan mountains.

yam /jæ m/ (yams )

1 N‑VAR A yam is a root vegetable which is like a potato, and grows in tropical regions.

2 N‑VAR Yams are the same as sweet potatoes . [AM ]

yank /jæ ŋk/ (yanks , yanking , yanked ) VERB If you yank someone or something somewhere, you pull them there suddenly and with a lot of force. □ [V n with adj] She yanked open the drawer. □ [V n] A quick-thinking ticket inspector yanked an emergency cord. [Also V + at ] ● N‑COUNT Yank is also a noun. □  Grabbing his ponytail, Shirley gave it a yank.

Yank (Yanks ) N‑COUNT Some people refer to people from the United States of America as Yanks . This use could cause offence. [INFORMAL ]

Yan|kee /jæ ŋki/ (Yankees )