the point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measured
"The temperature dropped to zero, marking the exact freezing point where water begins to turn into ice."
the sight setting that will cause a projectile to hit the center of the target with no wind blowing
"The archer adjusted his stance and released an arrow at zero, confident it would strike bullseye in the still air."
The numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero.
"The clock on the dashboard displayed a bright red zero, indicating that the fuel tank was completely empty."
In plain English: Zero is the number that comes right before one and means there is nothing at all.
"The test results came back with zero errors."
adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
"Before taking measurements, please make sure to zero the scale so it reads exactly nothing before you add any weight."
To set a measuring instrument to zero; to calibrate instrument scale to valid zero.
"Before taking the pressure reading, I had to zero the gauge by turning the adjustment screw until the needle pointed exactly at the baseline mark."
In plain English: To zero something means to aim it directly at a specific target with perfect accuracy.
"The company decided to zero in on their core customers to improve service."
Usage: Use this verb when adjusting an instrument's display or pointer so that it reads nothing before taking measurements, such as setting a bathroom scale after stepping on and off with no weight inside. This action ensures subsequent readings are accurate by establishing the correct baseline for the device.
indicating an initial point or origin
"The survey results were plotted starting from zero to accurately show how public opinion shifted over time."
of or relating to the null set (a set with no members)
"The intersection of those two disjoint sets is zero, since there are no elements common to both."
no, not any
"After checking every account, I found zero evidence of anyone entering the building last night."
In plain English: Zero means having nothing at all or being completely empty.
"The thermometer showed zero degrees outside."
The cardinal number occurring before one and that denotes no quantity or amount at all, represented in Arabic numerals as 0.
"After counting every single item on the shelf, I realized there was zero stock left for tomorrow's sale."
The word zero entered English through Middle French and Early Modern Spanish, tracing its roots back to the Medieval Latin zēphirum. This Latin term was borrowed from Arabic ṣifr, meaning "nothing," which itself described a void in Sanskrit śūnyá.