Wordwyrt

zero

/ˈzɪɹəʊ/ZIH-roh
/ˈzɪɹoʊ/ZIH-roh

Meaningempty, a cipher

Common meaning: the figure nought

Journey through time

  1. Arabicṣifr‘a cipher’source
  2. Italianzerosource
  3. Frenchzerosource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsa cipher → the figure noughtzero‘the figure nought’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Arabic ṣifr ‘empty, a cipher’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry ZERO, p. 726 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • ṣifr Arabic “empty, a cipher”

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