zero English · revision 4115

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1598|origins=ar صِفْر}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈzɪə.rəʊ/, US /ˈzɪr.oʊ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|zéro]] (1515) or directly [[bor|it|zero]] (1466),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) perhaps through Old Spanish zero,^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) an alteration of [[la-med|zephirum]] (1202),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ar|صِفْر|tr=ṣifr|t=empty, null, cipher]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Wiktionary) which translated [[sa|शून्य|tr=śūnya|t=empty place, desert, naught]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is a doublet of [[cipher]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The figure 0, a cipher: 1598 in Merriam-Webster,^(MW Collegiate) 1604 in the OED and Barnhart,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) about 1600 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The point marked 0 on a scale, from which reckoning begins, is from 1795,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the temperature at the zero of a thermometer from 1800.^(OED 1989) “The lowest point or degree”, as in ''absolute zero'', is by 1820,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the general “initial point” by 1849.^(Etymonline) Abstractly, “nothing, nought”, it is by 1823,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and a worthless person or thing is from 1813.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The adjective is from 1810.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Zero hour'' is from 1917,^(Barnhart 1988) ''zero-sum'', in game theory, from 1944, in von Neumann,^(Etymonline) and ''zero tolerance'' from 1972, in American politics.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to set the sights of a rifle”, is from 1913,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and ''zero in'' from 1944.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Barnhart notes that Arabic numerals are written left to right, against the direction of Arabic writing, because of their Indian origin.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1598 – the figure 0.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1795 – the zero of a scale.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1810 – adjective.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1813 – a worthless person.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1823 – nought, nothing.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1913 – verb, to set rifle sights.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1917 – ''zero hour''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1944 – ''zero in'' and ''zero-sum''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The numerical symbol 0; a [[cipher]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The number that, added to any number, leaves it unchanged; nought.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The point on a scale from which measurement begins, or the temperature it marks.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The lowest point: ''hopes fell to zero''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' A person of no importance; a [[nonentity]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or being zero; having no measurable value: ''zero growth''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To adjust an instrument to zero.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To aim at a target, or concentrate on something, with ''in on''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sub-zero]]

+ * [[zero-sum]]

+ * [[zero-emission vehicle]]

+ * [[zero gravity]]

+ * [[zero hour]]

+ * [[zero-point energy]]

+ * [[zero-sum game]]

+ * [[zero vector]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cipher]]

+ * [[decipher]]

+ * [[nought]]

+ * [[null]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}