zero

1. 1

   The cardinal number occurring before one and that denotes no quantity or amount at all, represented in Arabic numerals as 0.

   • The conductor waited until the passenger count was zero.
   • A cheque for zero dollars and zero cents crashed the computers on division by zero.

1. 1

   The numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero.countableuncountable

   • In unary and k-adic notation in general, zero is the empty string.
   • Write 0.0 to indicate a floating point number rather than the integer zero.
2. 2

   The digit 0 in the decimal, binary, and all other base numbering systems.countableuncountable

   • One million has six zeroes.
3. 3

   Nothing, or none.informaluncountable

   • zero-defect
   • The shipment was lost, so they had zero in stock.
4. 4

   The value of a magnitude corresponding to the cardinal number zero.countableuncountable

   • The electromagnetic field does not drop all of the way to zero before a reversal.
5. 5

   The point on a scale at which numbering or measurement originates.countableuncountable

   • The temperature outside is ten degrees below zero.
6. 6

   A value of the independent variables of a function, for which the function is equal to zero.countableuncountable

   • The zeroes of a polynomial are its roots by the fundamental theorem of algebra.
   • The derivative of a continuous, differentiable function that twice crosses the axis must have a zero.
7. 7

   The additive identity element of a monoid or greater algebraic structure, particularly a group or ring.countableuncountable

   • Since a commutative zero is the inverse of any additive identity, it must be unique when it exists.
   • The zero (of a ring or field) has the property that the product of the zero with any element yields the zero.
8. 8

   A person dismissed as unimportant.countableslanguncountable

   • They rudely treated him like a zero.
9. 9

   A difference that is present at an abstract level, but not realized in the form, that is, superficially (on the surface).countableuncountable

   • Sometimes a difference in intended meaning has only a zero to mark it, in which case the utterance may be ambiguous when context alone does not fully clarify it.
10. 10

    A casual misspelling of Zero ("a fighter aircraft operated by Imperial Japan during World War II").countablehistoricalinformal

syn. value of a function’s variables at zero · origin · zero point · nadir

ant. pole

1. 1

   Synonym of no.

   • She showed zero respect.

1. 1

   Of a cloud ceiling, limiting vision to 50 feet (15 meters) or less.not-comparable

2. 2

   Of horizontal visibility, limited to 165 feet (50.3 meters) or less.not-comparable

3. 3

   Present at an abstract level, but not realized in the surface form.not-comparable

   • The stem of "kobieta" with the zero ending is "kobiet".
4. 4

   Used in the names of foodstuffs, especially beverages, to indicate a version with no caloriesnot-comparablepostpositional

1. 1

   To set some amount to be zero.transitive

   • They tried to zero the budget by the end of the quarter.
   • Results were inconsistent because an array wasn’t zeroed during initialization.
2. 2

   To disappear or make something disappear.

   • Traffic on the encrypted channels used by senior Iraqi generals had peaked and zeroed, then peaked again, and zeroed again.
   • They discovered the object code for the simulator that was DON, and zeroed it. DON — or his creator — was clever and had planted many copies,
3. 3

   To adjust until the variance is reduced to an acceptably low amount.

   • The soldier took his gun to the shooting range to zero its aim.