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Zero: meaning, definitions and examples

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zero

 

[ ˈzɪərəʊ ]

Noun / Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

number

The number 0; the cardinal number between -1 and +1.

Synonyms

nil, nought, zilch

Examples of usage

  • Add zero to five, and you get five.
  • He had zero interest in the topic.
Context #2 | Noun

sports

A score of zero in a game or competition.

Synonyms

nil, nought, zip

Examples of usage

  • The team ended the match with a zero on the scoreboard.
  • She made it through the race with zero penalties.
Context #3 | Adjective

informal

Having no measurable quantity or value; no amount.

Synonyms

nil, none, null

Examples of usage

  • She had zero tolerance for nonsense.
  • His chances of winning were zero.

Translations

Translations of the word "zero" in other languages:

🇵🇹 zero

🇮🇳 शून्य

🇩🇪 null

🇮🇩 nol

🇺🇦 нуль

🇵🇱 zero

🇯🇵 ゼロ

🇫🇷 zéro

🇪🇸 cero

🇹🇷 sıfır

🇰🇷 영

🇸🇦 صفر

🇨🇿 nula

🇸🇰 nula

🇨🇳 零 (líng)

🇸🇮 nič

🇮🇸 núll

🇰🇿 нөл

🇬🇪 ნული

🇦🇿 sıfır

🇲🇽 cero

Word origin

The word 'zero' originated from the Latin word 'zephirum', which means 'empty'. The concept of zero as a number was introduced in the Indian subcontinent by mathematicians during the 5th century. It was later adopted by Islamic mathematicians in the Middle Ages and eventually spread to Europe. Zero plays a crucial role in mathematics, as it represents the absence of a quantity or a placeholder in the positional number system.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,172, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.