nero
C2Formal, Neutral, Informal
Definition
Meaning
The numerical value 0; the absence of any quantity or magnitude; nothing.
A point on a scale or instrument from which positive and negative measurements begin; a starting point; a very low or minimal level; a person or thing of no importance or significance; the lowest possible amount, degree, or point.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Zero" functions as a cardinal number, a noun, and an adjective. As a noun, it often represents a null set or starting point (e.g., 'ground zero'). As an adjective, it describes the complete absence of something (e.g., 'zero tolerance'). It can also function as a verb meaning to set an instrument to zero or to focus attention on something (e.g., 'zero in on').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'nought' (pronounced /nɔːt/) or 'oh' for the digit 0, especially in contexts like telephone numbers or decimals (e.g., 0.5 as 'nought point five'). American English overwhelmingly uses 'zero' for the number and 'oh' only in serial codes, phone numbers, or informal speech. The phrase 'zero hour' is more common in US military/jargon contexts.
Connotations
In both dialects, 'zero' can have negative connotations of worthlessness ('a total zero') or positive connotations of a fresh start ('reset to zero').
Frequency
"Zero" is significantly more frequent in American English across all contexts. In British English, 'nought', 'nil' (in sports), and 'love' (in tennis) are common substitutes where Americans would use 'zero'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
zero + noun (e.g., zero progress)verb + to + zero (e.g., reduce to zero)zero in on + object (e.g., zero in on the target)at + zero (e.g., temperatures at zero)from + zero (e.g., starting from zero)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “zero in on”
- “zero hour”
- “back to square one”
- “below zero”
- “zero to hero”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in finance and economics: 'zero-based budgeting', 'net zero emissions', 'zero growth forecast'.
Academic
Used in mathematics, physics, and computer science: 'absolute zero', 'zero vector', 'zero-day exploit', 'zero-sum game'.
Everyday
Used for temperatures, scores, and quantities: 'It's five degrees below zero.', 'The score is zero-zero.', 'I have zero interest in that.'
Technical
Used in engineering and measurement: 'zero calibration', 'zero offset', 'zero point energy', 'zero latency'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The sniper will zero in on his target.
- Before the experiment, you must zero the scale.
American English
- The investigators are zeroing in on a suspect.
- Zero out the account before closing it.
adverb
British English
- This is not zero possible.
- (Note: 'zero' is very rarely used as an adverb. Use 'not at all' or 'absolutely not' instead.)
American English
- (Note: 'zero' is not standardly used as an adverb in American English.)
adjective
British English
- They adopted a zero-tolerance policy.
- We are aiming for zero waste.
American English
- He has zero chance of winning.
- The project had zero budget.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The number after one is two. The number before one is zero.
- My bank account has zero pounds.
- The temperature fell to zero degrees last night.
- I have zero experience with computers.
- The company aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
- After the argument, their communication was reduced to zero.
- The concept of absolute zero is fundamental to thermodynamics.
- The negotiation started from a position of zero trust, which made progress difficult.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a hero (sounds like 'zero') who starts with nothing (zero) but rises to greatness.
Conceptual Metaphor
ZERO IS A STARTING POINT (e.g., 'Let's start from zero'); ZERO IS NOTHING/WORTHLESS (e.g., 'His opinion counts for zero'); ZERO IS A TARGET (e.g., 'Zero in on the problem').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'zero' as 'ноль' in contexts where 'nil' (спорт), 'nought' (математика), or 'oh' (телефон) are more idiomatic in UK English.
- Avoid using 'zero' as a direct translation for 'нуль' in fixed expressions; e.g., 'absolute zero' is 'абсолютный ноль', but 'ground zero' is not 'земля ноль' but 'эпицентр'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I have zero idea.' (Correct: 'I have no idea.' or 'I have zero ideas.')
- Incorrect: 'zero percents' (Correct: 'zero percent')
- Incorrect plural: 'zeroes' vs. 'zeros' (both are accepted, but 'zeros' is more common for the plural of the number).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, which word is LEAST likely to be used to read the decimal '0.05' aloud in a formal mathematics context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are accepted plurals. 'Zeros' is generally preferred, especially in scientific and technical writing, while 'zeroes' is also correct, particularly as the verb form (he zeroes in).
'Zero' is the standard number. 'Nil' is primarily used for sports scores (UK: 'The score is two-nil'). 'Nought' is a UK English term for the digit 0, used in decimals (0.1 = 'nought point one') or older counting, but is becoming less common.
Yes. It has two main meanings: 1) to set a measuring instrument to zero ('zero the scales'), and 2) to focus directly on something ('The reporter zeroed in on the key issue').
It's a situation in game theory and economics where one participant's gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of other participants. The net change in benefit or wealth is zero.