What is another word for zero?
In math and more generally, something that has the value of
zero can be described as
null, as in
null set and
The value is null. The word
cipher was once used as another name for
zero. Sometimes, the term
goose egg is used as an informal way to refer to
zero, especially in the context of a score, as in
I scored a big ol’ goose egg on that round. Zero is commonly used in a general way to mean
none or
nothing. Synonyms for this sense of the word include
nil, naught, nought, and
aught. Sometimes the word
no can be used to mean the same thing as
zero, as in
We lowered the price but we had no offers—and I mean zero offers. More informal synonyms for
zero in the sense of nothing include
zip, zippo, zilch, nada (the Spanish word for “nothing”),
diddly, and
diddly-squat. The word
zero can also be used as a verb meaning “to reduce to zero.” The verb phrase
zero out is more commonly used, as in
Zero out these totals. Sometimes, the word
zero is used to refer to a person considered completely insignificant, as in
They went from zeroes to heroes. Similar words include
nobody and
loser, but calling someone (or yourself) any of these names is never a nice thing to say.
Where does zero come from?
The concept of
zero is ancient, with recorded use dating back to ancient
Mesopotamia. The word
zero has been used in English since at least the 16th century. It comes from Italian, from the Medieval Latin word
zephirum, from the Arabic
sifr, meaning “empty” or “zero.” The word
cipher comes from this same Arabic root, which is a translation of the Sanskrit word
śūnyā, meaning “empty.”
How do you use zero in a sentence?
Zero can be used as a noun, an adjective, and even a verb. Here are some examples of
zero in a sentence:
- Four minus four is zero.
- The temperature is expected to drop below zero.
- If we don’t play, the chance of us winning is zero.
- The school had a zero tolerance policy on bullying.
- Please zero these columns by removing all the values.
