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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.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
zero

Use in mathematics, statistics, or when describing something that has no quantity, score, or value.

  • The temperature dropped to zero degrees
  • The team scored zero points in the game
nought

Old-fashioned or less commonly used, mostly in British English to refer to the number 0 or something insignificant.

  • The equation does not equal nought
  • He contributed nought to the discussion
nil

Common in British English, often used in sports scoring or contexts where 'nothing' or 'none' refers to quantity or success.

  • The final score was two-nil
  • His chances of winning are nil
zilch

Used informally or colloquially to emphasize the complete absence of amount, worth, or significance. Tends to have a mildly negative connotation.

  • After all that effort, we got zilch
  • The amount of progress we made was exactly 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.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
zero

Used in mathematical or scientific contexts, or when referring to the absence of something.

  • There is zero chance of rain today
  • The temperature dropped to zero degrees
nil

Often used in sports or scoring contexts, particularly in British English.

  • The soccer match ended with a score of two-nil
  • Our team managed to keep a nil score throughout the season
nought

Mainly used in British English in mathematical contexts or when referring to the number zero. Slightly archaic.

  • The equation simplifies to nought
  • Nought point five is the same as a half
zip

Colloquial and informal, often used in American English to denote nothing or zero. Can have a negative or dismissive tone.

  • He gave me zip for my hard work
  • They finished with zip points in the game

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.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
zero

Best used in mathematical, scientific, or quantitative contexts.

  • The temperature dropped to zero degrees last night
  • The experiment recorded a zero error margin
none

Used in general English to indicate the absence of something or an empty set.

  • There were none left after the sale
  • None of the students knew the answer
nil

Often used in sports, especially in British English, to indicate a score of zero.

  • The final score was three-nil in favor of the home team
  • His chances of winning are almost nil
null

Primarily used in programming and legal contexts to indicate invalidity or absence of value.

  • The variable was initialized to null
  • The contract was declared null and void

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

Etymology

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.