zilch

WOTD – 31 July 2009

English

Etymology

Related to creative origin of Mr. Zilch in Ballyhoo, 1930s humor magazine.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /zɪltʃ/

Noun

zilch (uncountable)

1. (informal) nothing.
   • 1991, Judith Arnold, One Good Turn‎, page 104

     "If the homeless wind up with zilch," James retorted, veiling his indignation behind a malevolent smile, "it's because they deserve zilch."

Synonyms

zero, zip, nada

Translations

nothing

• French: que dalle (fr), que pouic (fr)
• Japanese: (colloquial) 何も (nani mo)
• Russian: (slang) ни черта (ni čertá), (slang) ни фига (ru) (ni figá)

• Swedish: noll (sv), nolla (sv) c, ingenting (sv)
• Turkish: hiç (tr), değersiz (tr)

Adjective

zilch (not comparable)

1. nothing; zero