zero

A2 Topic:Numbers & Quantity

US /ˈzɪɹoʊ/ UK /ˈzɪəɹəʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #2253

Meanings

1

num
The number 0; no quantity or amount at all.

The conductor waited until the passenger count was zero.
2

noun
The point on a scale where measurement begins, especially of temperature.

The temperature outside is ten degrees below zero.
3

adj
None at all; not any.

He scored a zero score on the first try.
4

verb
To focus closely on or aim directly at something.

Investigators began to zero in on the cause of the fire.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 num · the number 0; no quantity... 0nought naught nil cipher

4 verb · to focus closely on or aim... zero in

More nadir origin

Opposites

pole

Word family

Forms zeroedzeroeszeroingzeros

Derived forms aleph-zeronet-zeronon-zerosub-zerozero-dayzero-dimensionalzero-gradezero-knowledgezero-passzero-ratedzero-sumzeroise

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

zero tolerance
a policy of accepting no instances of a specified unwanted behavior

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Collectively borrowed from Early Modern Spanish zero, Middle French zero, and (their etymon) Old Italian zero, from Medieval Latin zēphirum, from Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr, “nothing; cipher”), itself calqued from Sanskrit शून्य (śūnyá, “void; nothingness”). Doublet of cipher and chiffre. Cognate with Spanish cero and French zéro.

zero es-ear zēphirum la-med صِفْر Arabic ص ف ر Arabic शून्य Sanskrit

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Numbers & Quantity

External links

# zero

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** num, noun, adj, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈzɪɹoʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈzɪəɹəʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 2253

## Meanings
1. The number 0; no quantity or amount at all.
2. The point on a scale where measurement begins, especially of temperature.
3. None at all; not any.
4. To focus closely on or aim directly at something.

## Examples
- The conductor waited until the passenger count was zero.
- The temperature outside is ten degrees below zero.
- He scored a zero score on the first try.
- Investigators began to zero in on the cause of the fire.

## Synonyms
- nadir
- origin

## Antonyms
- pole

## Derived Forms
- aleph-zero
- net-zero
- non-zero
- sub-zero
- zero-day
- zero-dimensional
- zero-grade
- zero-knowledge
- zero-pass
- zero-rated
- zero-sum
- zeroise

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: zero
- Root: zēphirum
- Root: صِفْر
- Root: ص ف ر
- Root: शून्य

## Etymology
Collectively borrowed from Early Modern Spanish zero, Middle French zero, and (their etymon) Old Italian zero, from Medieval Latin zēphirum, from Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr, “nothing; cipher”), itself calqued from Sanskrit शून्य (śūnyá, “void; nothingness”). Doublet of cipher and chiffre. Cognate with Spanish cero and French zéro.

## AI Etymology
Zero was collectively borrowed from Early Modern Spanish zero, Middle French zero, and (their etymon) Old Italian zero, from Medieval Latin zēphirum, from Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr, “nothing; cipher”), itself calqued from Sanskrit शून्य (śūnyá, “void; nothingness”). Doublet of cipher and chiffre. Cognate with Spanish cero and French zéro. In present-day use, it can mean the number 0; no quantity or amount at all, or the point on a scale where measurement begins, especially of temperature. Derived formations include aleph-zero, net-zero, non-zero, sub-zero, and zero-day.

## Topics
- Numbers & Quantity

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