The best way I would pronounce it in some cases would be "ks" but otherwise, like a "z" with the beginning of a word.
We use the article "an" before the letter X because of the pronunciation of the name of the letter. The name of the letter is pronounced as if it were spelled "ex." And. since we use "an" before words that start with a vowel sound, we say "an X."
A xylophone - they sound better when cold
In a dictionary, the pronunciation guide for the word "X-ray" is: eks ˌrā Notice what the first letter of the pronunciation is e, which is a vowel, thus a vowel sound is the first sound produced when anyone pronounces the word X-ray correctly. The letter x can begin with either a vowel sound or a consonant sound depending on the word. In certain words that begin with x, the initial sound of the x is actually a z sound: xylophone is: zīləˌfōn Therefore, a xylophone would be correct. Use the a if the x is pronounced as a consonant; use an if the x is pronounced as a vowel.
It depends. If the 'X' is at the beginning of a word, it makes the zzz sound (as in "xylophone") or a sound kind of like eggs (as in "Xavier"). However, if it is preceded by vowel, it makes the -cks sound. In "Xerox" it makes both the "z" and a "cks" sound.
One word that has the "z" sound but starts with an "x" is "xylophone." The letter "x" is pronounced as a "z" sound in this word due to its Greek origin. The "xy" combination is commonly used in words borrowed from Greek, where "x" is pronounced as a "z" or "ks" sound.
The letter "X" originated from the Phoenician letter "samekh," which represented a voiceless fricative sound. It was later adopted by the Greeks as "chi" (Χ), representing a "k" sound. The Romans then took the Greek letter, transforming it into the "X" we use today, which represents various sounds in different languages. Over time, "X" has come to symbolize various concepts, such as multiplication in mathematics and the unknown in algebra.
The pronunciation of words is determined by language rules and conventions. In English, the "x" in "xylophone" is not pronounced as a "ks" sound because it follows the rules of the letter combination "xy" which is typically pronounced as a "z" sound.
ks as in English. In some words, it is pronounced like the spanish J (an emphatic h sound). In medieval spanish, it was pronounced like SH.
An example of an onomatopoeia that starts with the letter "X" is "x-ray," often used to describe the sound of an x-ray machine or the imagery associated with it. While "x-ray" may not be a traditional onomatopoeia like "buzz" or "bang," it evokes the imagery of the sound associated with the medical procedure. Unfortunately, words that are true onomatopoeias starting with "X" are quite rare.
The pronunciation of 'x' in Chinese pinyin is similar to 'sh'.
Xylophonic is a nice word. It describes a sound made by a xylophone.
Although xenon, xylophone begin with an "x", the sound is a "z". The word x-ray begins with an "x" sound.