- zero (n.)
- c.1600, from Italian zero, from Medieval Latin zephirum, from Arabic sifr "cipher," translation of Sanskrit sunya-m "empty place, desert, naught" (see cipher (n.)). A brief history of the invention of "zero" can be found here. Meaning "worthless person" is recorded from 1813. Zero tolerance first recorded 1972, originally U.S. political language.
- zero (v.)
- in zero in, 1944, from zero (n.); the image is from instrument adjustments.