Zero — Lexography

Journey of meaning

6 forms

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The zero journey, in text

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शून्य · Sanskrit
adjective / numeral · Sanskrit
Reading: shoon-ya
Empty; mathematical zero. Empty or void; also zero in mathematical use. In this journey, the numerical meaning is the one translated into Arabic, rather than a borrowing of the Sanskrit sounds.
c. 600s — Approximate historical context. A seventh-century mathematical context, alongside the separately cited śūnya lexical sense. This does not establish the earliest Sanskrit zero, the first spelling of śūnya, or the origin of the zero symbol.
Sanskrit reference region / South Asia — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
शून्य (śūnya), Sanskrit: Void; nothingness. Here the connection is a translated meaning, not copied sounds. English > Etymology, prose account
śūnya → ṣifr: calque. Wiktionary explicitly describes a Sanskrit-to-Arabic calque. English > Etymology, prose account
Sanskrit śūnya means empty or void and also denotes mathematical zero. Sanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
The selected reading of शून्य is /ɕuːn̪.jɐ/ (Conventional Classical Sanskrit reading). Sanskrit > Pronunciation > Classical Sanskrit
शून्य: c. 600s — historical context. Brahmagupta and zero as a number
शून्य is classified as adjective / numeral for this Sanskrit stage. Sanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point sans1269. LanguageTable row sans1269; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
صِفْر · Arabic
numeral · Arabic
Reading: sifr
Nothing; zero. Zero. The mathematical sense of ṣifr is described as a translation of Sanskrit śūnya. It is distinct from the similarly spelled month-name Ṣafar and other Arabic homographs.
c. 800s — Approximate historical context. A ninth-century mathematical transmission context, alongside the separately cited ṣifr lexical sense. This is not a first attestation of ṣifr or an exact date for the semantic loan.
Arabic / Arabian Peninsula — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
صِفْر (ṣifr), Arabic: Nothing; zero. Wiktionary describes the Arabic mathematical sense as a calque. English > Etymology, prose account
śūnya → ṣifr: calque. Wiktionary explicitly describes a Sanskrit-to-Arabic calque. English > Etymology, prose account
ṣifr → zēphirum: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
Arabic ṣifr is zero; its mathematical use is described as a semantic loan from Sanskrit śūnya. Arabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
The selected reading of صِفْر is /sˤifr/ (Standard Arabic). Arabic > Etymology 5 > Pronunciation
Al-Khwārizmī’s lifetime anchors the early Arabic mathematical context. Quick Info > Born and Died
صِفْر: c. 800s — historical context. Arabic transmission > al-Khwārizmī
صِفْر is classified as numeral for this Arabic stage. Arabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point stan1318. LanguageTable row stan1318; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
zēphirum · Medieval Latin
noun · Medieval Latin
Reading: Reading not yet researched
Zero. Zero in Latin mathematical writing. This neuter noun is distinct from zephirum as an inflected form of a word for the west wind.
1202 · work — The source associates the term with Liber Abaci of 1202. This does not identify an extant 1202 manuscript or resolve later redactions.
Medieval Latin reference point — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
zēphirum (zēphirum), Medieval Latin: Zero. A Latin form in the history of the word. English > Etymology, prose account
ṣifr → zēphirum: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
zēphirum → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
Medieval Latin zēphirum is the mathematical zero noun associated with Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci. Latin > Etymology 1 > Noun
zēphirum: 1202 · work. ZERO > second paragraph
zēphirum is classified as noun for this Medieval Latin stage. Latin > Etymology 1 > Noun
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point medi1250. LanguageTable row medi1250; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
zero · Old Italian
numeral · Old Italian
Reading: Reading not yet researched
Zero. Zero in the Italian mathematical tradition. A lexical-history account reports the form in fourteenth-century manuscripts and in print in 1491; the exact route through intermediate Latin forms varies between accounts.
14th century — A reported manuscript period, not a single year. The cited manuscript witnesses were not independently inspected.
Old Italian reference region — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
zero (zero), Old Italian: Zero. The Italian form contributes to the English borrowing. English > Etymology, prose account
zēphirum → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
zero → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
zero → zero: borrowing. One of the contributing sources recorded for English. English > Etymology, prose account
zero: 14th century. ZERO > second and third paragraphs
zero is classified as numeral for this Old Italian stage. Entry heading and sense 1
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point fior1236. LanguageTable row fior1236; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
zero · Middle French
noun · Middle French
Reading: Reading not yet researched
Zero. Zero in the French mathematical tradition. The form is reported by 1515 and is one of the European contributors named for English, alongside Italian and, in another account, Spanish.
1515 · reported — A reported French attestation, not a claim that every spelling or sense originated in that year.
Middle French reference region — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
zero (zero), Middle French: Zero. Wiktionary also identifies this as an immediate contributor. English > Etymology, prose account
zero → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account
zero → zero: borrowing. An additional contributor, preserved as a cross-link. English > Etymology, prose account
zero: 1515 · reported. ZERO > fourth paragraph
zero is classified as noun for this Middle French stage. Middle French > Noun
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point midd1316. LanguageTable row midd1316; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
zero · English
noun · English
Reading: ZEER-oh
The number denoting no quantity. The number for no quantity and the symbol 0. French and Italian are named as immediate contributors; another account also names Spanish. The Sanskrit connection concerns a translated meaning, not a sound chain.
1598 — First known use reported by the source, not the origin of the word.
English reference region / Britain — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
zero (zero), English: The number denoting no quantity. Several European forms contributed; the lineage is simplified. English > Etymology, prose account; English noun/verb definitions for the displayed sense
zero → zero: borrowing. One of the contributing sources recorded for English. English > Etymology, prose account
zero → zero: borrowing. An additional contributor, preserved as a cross-link. English > Etymology, prose account
Wiktionary also lists Early Modern Spanish zero among the English word’s immediate contributors; this branch is omitted from the pilot. English > Etymology, prose account
Merriam-Webster summarizes the immediate sources as French or Italian. Word History > Etymology, noun
English zero: 1598. First known use reported by the source, not the origin of the word. Word History > First Known Use; the specified part of speech / sense
The number representing no quantity, and the numeral 0 used to write it. In measurement, zero can mark a reference point on a scale; in ordinary speech it can mean none or nothing. English > Numeral and Noun
The selected reading of zero is /ˈzɪəɹəʊ/ (Present-day British English). English > Pronunciation
zero is classified as noun for this English stage. Word History > First Known Use, Noun
Zero names the number and numeral, a reference point on a scale, a root of a function, and figurative absence or insignificance. Noun > senses 1–5
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point stan1293. LanguageTable row stan1293; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).

Relationships

śūnya → ṣifr: calque, qualified. Wiktionary explicitly describes a Sanskrit-to-Arabic calque. English > Etymology, prose account

ṣifr → zēphirum: borrowing, documented. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account

zēphirum → zero: borrowing, documented. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account

zero → zero: borrowing, documented. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology, prose account

zero → zero: borrowing, qualified. One of the contributing sources recorded for English. English uses: The numerical term also supplies a point of reference on a scale and figurative expressions of absence or insignificance. The borrowing date does not date these later uses. English > Etymology, prose account

zero → zero: borrowing, qualified. An additional contributor, preserved as a cross-link. English uses: The numerical term also supplies a point of reference on a scale and figurative expressions of absence or insignificance. The borrowing date does not date these later uses. English > Etymology, prose account

Inspect the evidence 42 claims

Open a claim to follow the source and our interpretation.

01शून्य (śūnya), Sanskrit: Void; nothingness. Here the connection is a translated meaning, not copied sounds.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show śūnya as a Sanskrit stage for zero. Time context is recorded in the separate period evidence; this lexical excerpt alone does not supply a first-use date.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
02Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point sans1269.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row sans1269; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
sans1269 · Sanskrit · Latitude 20.0 · Longitude 77.0
LanguageTable row sans1269; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient śūnya on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
03صِفْر (ṣifr), Arabic: Nothing; zero. Wiktionary describes the Arabic mathematical sense as a calque.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show ṣifr as a Arabic stage for zero. Time context is recorded in the separate period evidence; this lexical excerpt alone does not supply a first-use date.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
04Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point stan1318.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row stan1318; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
stan1318 · Standard Arabic · Latitude 27.9625 · Longitude 43.8525
LanguageTable row stan1318; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient ṣifr on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
05zēphirum (zēphirum), Medieval Latin: Zero. A Latin form in the history of the word.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zēphirum as a Medieval Latin stage for zero. The written date is supported by the separate date claim; this form record does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
06Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point medi1250.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row medi1250; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
medi1250 · Medieval Latin · Latitude 41.9026 · Longitude 12.4502
LanguageTable row medi1250; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient zēphirum on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
07zero (zero), Old Italian: Zero. The Italian form contributes to the English borrowing.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zero as a Old Italian stage for zero. The written date is supported by the separate date claim; this form record does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
08Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point fior1236.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row fior1236; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
fior1236 · Old Italian · Latitude 43.0464 · Longitude 12.6489
LanguageTable row fior1236; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient zero on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
09zero (zero), Middle French: Zero. Wiktionary also identifies this as an immediate contributor.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zero as a Middle French stage for zero. The written date is supported by the separate date claim; this form record does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
10Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point midd1316.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row midd1316; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
midd1316 · Middle French · Latitude 48.0 · Longitude 2.0
LanguageTable row midd1316; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient zero on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
11zero (zero), English: The number denoting no quantity. Several European forms contributed; the lineage is simplified.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account; English noun/verb definitions for the displayed sense
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zero as a English stage for zero. The period is supported by a separate dated claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
12Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point stan1293.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — language reference coordinatesHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLanguageTable row stan1293; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
Source passage
Reference record
stan1293 · English · Latitude 53.0 · Longitude -1.0
LanguageTable row stan1293; Name, Latitude, Longitude
Qualification Reference only
This is a language reference coordinate. It is not evidence of where this word originated, was borrowed or travelled.
What Lexography infers
We use this point to orient zero on the map, with an approximate region label. It adds no historical route or border claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 072ca0d0410039fb8b779be8fc165bac575d2cda. CC BY 4.0; selected coordinates, rounded for regional orientation
13śūnya → ṣifr: calque. Wiktionary explicitly describes a Sanskrit-to-Arabic calque.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Qualified
Wiktionary explicitly describes a Sanskrit-to-Arabic calque.
What Lexography infers
We connect śūnya (Sanskrit) to ṣifr (Arabic) as calque. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
14ṣifr → zēphirum: borrowing. The source identifies this connection.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The source identifies this connection.
What Lexography infers
We connect ṣifr (Arabic) to zēphirum (Medieval Latin) as borrowing. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
15zēphirum → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The source identifies this connection.
What Lexography infers
We connect zēphirum (Medieval Latin) to zero (Old Italian) as borrowing. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
16zero → zero: borrowing. The source identifies this connection.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The source identifies this connection.
What Lexography infers
We connect zero (Old Italian) to zero (Middle French) as borrowing. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
17zero → zero: borrowing. One of the contributing sources recorded for English.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Qualified
One of the contributing sources recorded for English.
What Lexography infers
We connect zero (Old Italian) to zero (English) as borrowing. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
18zero → zero: borrowing. An additional contributor, preserved as a cross-link.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Qualified
An additional contributor, preserved as a cross-link.
What Lexography infers
We connect zero (Middle French) to zero (English) as borrowing. Any line on the map is schematic, not a documented physical itinerary.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
19Wiktionary also lists Early Modern Spanish zero among the English word’s immediate contributors; this branch is omitted from the pilot.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Etymology, prose account
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The entry lists Spanish, French and Italian contributors, through Medieval Latin zēphirum and Arabic ṣifr. It describes the Arabic meaning as calqued from Sanskrit śūnya.
English > Etymology, borrowing and calque account
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zero as a English stage for zero. The period is supported by a separate dated claim.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
20Merriam-Webster summarizes the immediate sources as French or Italian.
Source
zero — Word History & definitionsMerriam-WebsterWord History > Etymology, noun
Source passage
Excerpt
French or Italian
Word History > Etymology, Noun
Qualification Source-supported
The excerpt shows the source’s form or etymological account. The concise meaning and explanation are Lexography’s reading of the entry.
What Lexography infers
We show zero as a English stage for zero. The period is supported by a separate dated claim.
Checked 2026-09-13. Copyright Merriam-Webster; brief attributed excerpts and factual summaries only; no full article redistribution
21English zero: 1598. First known use reported by the source, not the origin of the word.
Source
zero — Word History & definitionsMerriam-WebsterWord History > First Known Use; the specified part of speech / sense
Source passage
Excerpt
1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Word History > First Known Use, Noun
Qualification Qualified
First known use reported by the source, not the origin of the word.
What Lexography infers
We place zero at 1598 on the recorded-evidence scale. This does not date the origin of the word.
Checked 2026-09-13. Copyright Merriam-Webster; brief attributed excerpts and factual summaries only; no full article redistribution
22The number representing no quantity, and the numeral 0 used to write it. In measurement, zero can mark a reference point on a scale; in ordinary speech it can mean none or nothing.
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Numeral and Noun
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The number representing no quantity, and the numeral 0 used to write it. In measurement, zero can mark a reference point on a scale; in ordinary speech it can mean none or nothing.
English > Numeral and Noun
Qualification Source-supported
This is an editorial summary of the selected present-day senses, not a claim that every sense existed at the earliest date.
What Lexography infers
Give the searched entry a fuller, readable definition and keep historical changes separately sourced.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
23The selected reading of zero is /ˈzɪəɹəʊ/ (Present-day British English).
Source
zero — English dictionary entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsEnglish > Pronunciation
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Present-day British English: /ˈzɪəɹəʊ/.
English > Pronunciation
Qualification Qualified
This is a present-day dictionary reading, not a reconstruction of pronunciation at the displayed historical date.
What Lexography infers
The readable guide “ZEER-oh” is Lexography’s approximation of this cited pronunciation, not a separate source transcription.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92311802. CC BY-SA 4.0; selected and adapted with attribution Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
24Sanskrit śūnya means empty or void and also denotes mathematical zero.
Source
शून्य — Sanskrit entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsSanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Sanskrit śūnya means empty or void and also denotes mathematical zero.
Sanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
Qualification Source-supported
This records the specified language and sense. Other homographs and historical periods are not interchangeable.
What Lexography infers
Use this lexical record to describe the selected stage; a dictionary definition alone does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92292822. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
25Arabic ṣifr is zero; its mathematical use is described as a semantic loan from Sanskrit śūnya.
Source
صفر — Arabic entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsArabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Arabic ṣifr is zero; its mathematical use is described as a semantic loan from Sanskrit śūnya.
Arabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Qualification Source-supported
This records the specified language and sense. Other homographs and historical periods are not interchangeable.
What Lexography infers
Use this lexical record to describe the selected stage; a dictionary definition alone does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92479251. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
26Medieval Latin zēphirum is the mathematical zero noun associated with Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci.
Source
zephirum — Latin entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsLatin > Etymology 1 > Noun
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Medieval Latin zēphirum is the mathematical zero noun associated with Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci.
Latin > Etymology 1 > Noun
Qualification Source-supported
This records the specified language and sense. Other homographs and historical periods are not interchangeable.
What Lexography infers
Use this lexical record to describe the selected stage; a dictionary definition alone does not date its borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 91220362. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
27The selected reading of शून्य is /ɕuːn̪.jɐ/ (Conventional Classical Sanskrit reading).
Source
शून्य — Sanskrit entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsSanskrit > Pronunciation > Classical Sanskrit
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Conventional Classical Sanskrit reading: /ɕuːn̪.jɐ/.
Sanskrit > Pronunciation > Classical Sanskrit
Qualification Qualified
sh approximates the palatal sibilant; oo is long and n is dental. No stress is asserted. This is the dictionary’s conventional historical reading, not an audio attestation or a reading tied to a dated manuscript.
What Lexography infers
The readable guide “shoon-ya” is Lexography’s approximation of this cited pronunciation, not a separate source transcription.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92292822. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
28The selected reading of صِفْر is /sˤifr/ (Standard Arabic).
Source
صفر — Arabic entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsArabic > Etymology 5 > Pronunciation
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Standard Arabic: /sˤifr/.
Arabic > Etymology 5 > Pronunciation
Qualification Qualified
s is emphatic; English s is only an approximation. This is one syllable with no added vowel between f and r. This is a present-day dictionary reading, not a reconstruction of pronunciation at the displayed historical date.
What Lexography infers
The readable guide “sifr” is Lexography’s approximation of this cited pronunciation, not a separate source transcription.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92479251. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
29zēphirum: 1202 · work.
Source
Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics — ZJeff Miller and contributors; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsZERO > second paragraph
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
MacTutor associates zephirum with Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci of 1202.
ZERO > second paragraph
Qualification Qualified
The source associates the term with Liber Abaci of 1202. This does not identify an extant 1202 manuscript or resolve later redactions.
What Lexography infers
Display the cited written use, not an origin date or the time of an oral borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11. Linked publication retains its own terms; original factual summaries only.
30zero: 14th century.
Source
Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics — ZJeff Miller and contributors; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsZERO > second and third paragraphs
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The account reports zero in fourteenth-century Italian manuscripts and a printed example in Calandri’s 1491 arithmetic.
ZERO > second and third paragraphs
Qualification Qualified
A reported manuscript period, not a single year. The cited manuscript witnesses were not independently inspected.
What Lexography infers
Display the cited written use, not an origin date or the time of an oral borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11. Linked publication retains its own terms; original factual summaries only.
31zero: 1515 · reported.
Source
Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics — ZJeff Miller and contributors; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsZERO > fourth paragraph
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The account reports the French form by 1515.
ZERO > fourth paragraph
Qualification Qualified
A reported French attestation, not a claim that every spelling or sense originated in that year.
What Lexography infers
Display the cited written use, not an origin date or the time of an oral borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11. Linked publication retains its own terms; original factual summaries only.
32The numerical sense zero is translated from Sanskrit into Arabic.
Source
صفر — Arabic entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsArabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Arabic ṣifr is zero; its mathematical use is described as a semantic loan from Sanskrit śūnya.
Arabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Qualification Qualified
The Arabic entry explicitly calls this a semantic loan. This classification covers the numerical sense only, not the words’ complete ranges of meaning.
What Lexography infers
Treat the selected numerical meaning as retained through a calque; this is supported by an explicit semantic-loan account, not merely similar glosses.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92479251. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
33शून्य: c. 600s — historical context.
Source
A history of Zero — Indian and Arabic mathematical contextsJ. J. O’Connor and E. F. Robertson; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsBrahmagupta and zero as a number
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The account discusses Brahmagupta’s seventh-century arithmetic rules involving zero.
Brahmagupta and zero as a number
Qualification Qualified
A seventh-century mathematical context, alongside the separately cited śūnya lexical sense. This does not establish the earliest Sanskrit zero, the first spelling of śūnya, or the origin of the zero symbol.
What Lexography infers
Use this evidence only at the stated level: a written example, contextual period or latest-possible bound. It does not establish the origin of the form, its entire sense range, or the date of borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11. Linked publication retains its own terms; brief original factual summaries only.
34Al-Khwārizmī’s lifetime anchors the early Arabic mathematical context.
Source
Al-Khwarizmi — biographical chronologyJ. J. O’Connor and E. F. Robertson; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsQuick Info > Born and Died
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The biography’s Quick Info gives an approximate lifetime of 780–850 for al-Khwārizmī.
Quick Info > Born and Died
Qualification Qualified
His biography supplies an era, not the first attestation of ṣifr.
What Lexography infers
Use this evidence only at the stated level: a written example, contextual period or latest-possible bound. It does not establish the origin of the form, its entire sense range, or the date of borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-13. Linked publication retains its own terms; brief original factual summaries only.
35صِفْر: c. 800s — historical context.
Source
A history of Zero — Indian and Arabic mathematical contextsJ. J. O’Connor and E. F. Robertson; MacTutor, University of St AndrewsArabic transmission > al-Khwārizmī
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The account describes al-Khwārizmī’s treatment of Indian decimal notation and zero in its transmission into Arabic mathematics.
Arabic transmission > al-Khwārizmī
Qualification Qualified
A ninth-century mathematical transmission context, alongside the separately cited ṣifr lexical sense. This is not a first attestation of ṣifr or an exact date for the semantic loan.
What Lexography infers
Use this evidence only at the stated level: a written example, contextual period or latest-possible bound. It does not establish the origin of the form, its entire sense range, or the date of borrowing.
Checked 2026-09-11. Linked publication retains its own terms; brief original factual summaries only.
36शून्य is classified as adjective / numeral for this Sanskrit stage.
Source
शून्य — Sanskrit entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsSanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Sanskrit śūnya means empty or void and also denotes mathematical zero.
Sanskrit > Adjective; Noun; Numeral
Qualification Source-supported
The stage combines the empty/void adjective with mathematical zero, so both adjective and numeral are displayed. This does not date a grammatical transition.
What Lexography infers
The stage combines the empty/void adjective with mathematical zero, so both adjective and numeral are displayed. This does not date a grammatical transition.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92292822. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
37صِفْر is classified as numeral for this Arabic stage.
Source
صفر — Arabic entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsArabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Arabic ṣifr is zero; its mathematical use is described as a semantic loan from Sanskrit śūnya.
Arabic > Etymology 5 > Numeral
Qualification Source-supported
Classifies the selected lexical sense from its dictionary section; other senses, grammatical uses and the date of first use are not inferred.
What Lexography infers
Classifies the selected lexical sense from its dictionary section; other senses, grammatical uses and the date of first use are not inferred.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 92479251. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
38zēphirum is classified as noun for this Medieval Latin stage.
Source
zephirum — Latin entryEnglish Wiktionary contributorsLatin > Etymology 1 > Noun
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Medieval Latin zēphirum is the mathematical zero noun associated with Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci.
Latin > Etymology 1 > Noun
Qualification Source-supported
Classifies the selected lexical sense from its dictionary section; other senses, grammatical uses and the date of first use are not inferred.
What Lexography infers
Classifies the selected lexical sense from its dictionary section; other senses, grammatical uses and the date of first use are not inferred.
Checked 2026-09-11 · revision 91220362. Adapted from English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; source revision retained. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
39zero is classified as numeral for this Old Italian stage.
Source
Zero — Il Nuovo De MauroIl Nuovo De Mauro, InternazionaleEntry heading and sense 1
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The Italian entry classifies zero as an invariable cardinal numeral adjective and a masculine noun, and records the lexical date 1491.
Entry heading and sense 1
Qualification Qualified
The source records both numeral and noun uses with an early lexical date. Numeral describes the selected mathematical use; no first date of that grammatical use is asserted.
What Lexography infers
The source records both numeral and noun uses with an early lexical date. Numeral describes the selected mathematical use; no first date of that grammatical use is asserted.
Checked 2026-09-12. Linked dictionary retains its own terms; original factual summary only.
40zero is classified as noun for this Middle French stage.
Source
Zero — Middle French word classEnglish Wiktionary contributorsMiddle French > Noun
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The Middle French entry places zero under Noun. Gender and the English translation remain incomplete in this entry.
Middle French > Noun
Qualification Qualified
Only the noun classification is taken from this incomplete entry; no gender or new definition is inferred.
What Lexography infers
Only the noun classification is taken from this incomplete entry; no gender or new definition is inferred.
Checked 2026-09-12 · revision 92635614. English Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0; factual summary with attribution. Link formatting and spacing normalized; summaries are labeled.
41zero is classified as noun for this English stage.
Source
zero — Word History & definitionsMerriam-WebsterWord History > First Known Use, Noun
Source passage
Excerpt
1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Word History > First Known Use, Noun
Qualification Source-supported
The selected number-name use is classified as a noun by Merriam-Webster; other grammatical uses are outside this stage.
What Lexography infers
The selected number-name use is classified as a noun by Merriam-Webster; other grammatical uses are outside this stage.
Checked 2026-09-13. Copyright Merriam-Webster; brief attributed excerpts and factual summaries only; no full article redistribution
42Zero names the number and numeral, a reference point on a scale, a root of a function, and figurative absence or insignificance.
Source
zero — Word History & definitionsMerriam-WebsterNoun > senses 1–5
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Zero names the number and numeral, a reference point on a scale, a root of a function, and figurative absence or insignificance.
Noun > senses 1–5
Qualification Source-supported
These are coexisting noun uses; the 1598 word date does not establish their individual histories.
What Lexography infers
Use this evidence for the specified form or sense; the presentation is an editorial summary.
Checked 2026-09-13. Copyright Merriam-Webster; brief attributed excerpts and factual summaries only; no full article redistribution