zero
UK: ˈzɪərəʊ | US: ˈzɪroʊ
n. the numerical symbol 0; the absence of quantity
n. the lowest point or degree
adj. having no measurable or significant amount
The word "zero" entered English via French "zéro," derived from Italian "zero," which traces back to Medieval Latin "zephirum." This, in turn, comes from Arabic "ṣifr" (صفر), meaning "empty" or "nothing," a translation of Sanskrit "śūnya" (void). The Arabic term was initially used to denote the concept of emptiness in positional numeral systems, later evolving into the numerical symbol 0. The suffix "-o" in Italian/Latin stabilized the word's form in European languages.
The temperature dropped to zero last night.
Her patience reached zero after the third interruption.
The project had zero chance of success from the start.
The scale displayed zero before calibration.
He scored zero points in the final round.