null

See also: Null, núll, and null'

English

Alternative forms

• Ø (linguistics, abbreviation)
• ∅ (mathematics, abbreviation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French nul, from Latin nūllus.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /nʌl/
• Rhymes: -ʌl

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

null (plural nulls)

1. A non-existent or empty value or set of values.
2. Zero quantity of expressions; nothing.
   • 1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 61, recto:

     The kindes of Cyphars, (beſides the Simple Cyphars with Changes, and the intermixtures of Nvlles, and Nonsignificants) are many, according to the Nature or Rule of infoulding : Wheele-Cyphars, Kay-Cyphars, Dovbles, &c.

3. Something that has no force or meaning.
4. (computing) The null character; the ASCII or Unicode character (␀), represented by a zero value, which indicates no character and is sometimes used as a string terminator.

   Synonym: \0

5. (computing) The attribute of an entity that has no valid value.

   Since no date of birth was entered for the patient, his age is null.

6. One of the beads in nulled work.
7. (statistics) The null hypothesis.

Translations

a non-existent or empty value or set of values

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 空值 (kōngzhí)

• Finnish: tyhjä (fi)
• Japanese: 無 (ja) (mu), 無価値 (ja) (むかち, mukachi), 空白 (ja) (くうはく, kūhaku), ゼロ (ja) (zero), ヌル (nuru)
• Russian: (zero) нуль (ru) m (nulʹ), пусто́е по́ле n (pustóje póle), пусто́й указа́тель m (pustój ukazátelʹ), пусто́е значе́ние n (pustóje značénije), нулл m (null), налл m (nall)
• Vietnamese: rỗng (vi)

Adjective

null (comparative more null, superlative most null)

1. Having no validity; "null and void".
   • a. 1667, Rev. Jeremy Taylor, “Clerus Domini: or, A Discourse of the Divine Institution, Necessity, Sacredness, and Separation of the Office Ministerial”, in Ενιαυτος: A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays Of the year, 3rd edition, London: E. Tyler, page 19:

     And however Firmilian and S. Cyprian might be deceived in the thinking hereticks quite loſt their orders ; yet in this they were untouched, that although their ſuppoſition was queſtionable, yet their ſuperſtructure was not meddled with, viz. That if they had been Lay-perſons, their Baptizations were null and invalid.

2. Insignificant.
   • 1924, Marcel Proust, Within a Budding Grove:

     In proportion as we descend the social scale our snobbishness fastens on to mere nothings which are perhaps no more null than the distinctions observed by the aristocracy, but, being more obscure, more peculiar to the individual, take us more by surprise.

3. Absent or non-existent.
4. (mathematics) Of the null set.
5. (mathematics) Of or comprising a value of precisely zero.
6. (genetics, of a mutation) Causing a complete loss of gene function; amorphic.
7. (mechanical engineering, of a position or setting) Neutral.
   • 2001 March 27, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.16.3 Detail Examination and Tests of Standby Rudder Actuator Input Shaft and Bearing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Uncontrolled Descent and Collision With Terrain, United Airlines Flight 585, Boeing 737-200, N999UA, 4 Miles South of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 3, 1991‎^[1], archived from the original on 8 May 2022, pages 62–63:

     In normal operation, the input cranks to both the MPCU and standby rudder actuator will rotate to provide the servo valve command to the units, and the rudder will be hydraulically moved by the MPCU. The rudder movement is in turn fed back mechanically to both the MPCU and standby actuator systems so that when the rudder surface deflects to the position commanded by the pilot, the input cranks on both of the units will be returned to their null positions. Thus, there is a geometric relationship between the rudder position, the input crank of the MPCU, the torque tube, and the input crank of the standby rudder actuator that is retained during normal operation.

Antonyms

• antinull
• non-null

Derived terms

• /dev/null
• alef null
• aleph-null
• dev null
• non-null persistent
• null anaphora
• null and void
• nullary
• null byte injection
• null character
• null determiner
• nullform
• null-grav
• null-homotopic
• null hypothesis
• null infinity
• nullity
• null matrix
• null modem
• null morpheme
• nullness
• null node
• nullo
• null object
• null path length
• null persistent
• null pointer
• null prefix
• null recurrence
• null recurrent
• null result
• null set
• null sign
• null-subject language
• null suffix
• null-terminated
• Rh-null

 

Verb

null (third-person singular simple present nulls, present participle nulling, simple past and past participle nulled)

1. (transitive, archaic) To nullify; to annul.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes”, in Paradise Regain’d, 5th edition, London: Jacob Tonson, published 1707, page 144:

     Thy fair enchanted cup, and warbling charms / No more on me have pow’r, their force is null’d, / So much of Adders wiſdom I have learnt / To fence my ear againſt thy Sorceries.

2. To return to the null position, setting, etc.
   • 2001 March 27, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.16.3 Detail Examination and Tests of Standby Rudder Actuator Input Shaft and Bearing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Uncontrolled Descent and Collision With Terrain, United Airlines Flight 585, Boeing 737-200, N999UA, 4 Miles South of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 3, 1991‎^[2], archived from the original on 8 May 2022, page 63:

     Three factors could ameliorate the effect of a bound input shaft and bearing. The first is the elasticity of the control system linkage that, against a definable load, will permit sufficient deformation of the otherwise rigid link feedback loop to null the MPCU servo valve. The second factor is the application of a load sufficient to break loose the binding between the input shaft and bearing. The third factor is a loss of torque of the bearing in the standby rudder actuator housing to permit the rotation of the bearing and shaft together within the housing to compensate for the bound shaft.

3. To form nulls, or into nulls, as in a lathe.
4. (computing, slang, transitive) To crack; to remove restrictions or limitations in (software).

Related terms

• annul
• nulled work

See also

• nil

Cimbrian

cardinal numbers

0	Previous:	n/a
	Next:	ummaz

Etymology

From Latin nūllus (“none”).

Numeral

null

1. (Luserna) zero

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Estonian

Estonian numbers ^(edit)

		0	1  →	10  →
Cardinal: null     Ordinal: nullis

Etymology

From German Null.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnulʲː/, [ˈnulʲː]
• Rhymes: -ulʲː
• Hyphenation: null

Numeral

null (genitive nulli, partitive nulli)

1. zero

Declension

Declension of null (ÕS type 22e/riik, length gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		null	nullid
accusative	nom.
	gen.	nulli
genitive			nullide
partitive		nulli	nulle nullisid
illative		nulli nullisse	nullidesse nullesse
inessive		nullis	nullides nulles
elative		nullist	nullidest nullest
allative		nullile	nullidele nullele
adessive		nullil	nullidel nullel
ablative		nullilt	nullidelt nullelt
translative		nulliks	nullideks nulleks
terminative		nullini	nullideni
essive		nullina	nullidena
abessive		nullita	nullideta
comitative		nulliga	nullidega

Faroese

Etymology

From Latin nullus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nʊlː/
• Rhymes: -ʊlː

Numeral

null

1. zero

Noun

null n (genitive singular nuls, plural null)

1. (mathematics) the numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero

Declension

n9	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	null	nullið	null	nullini
Accusative	null	nullið	null	nullini
Dative	nulli	nullinum	nullum	nullunum
Genitive	nuls	nulsins	nulla	nullanna

German

German numbers ^(edit)

		0	1  → [a], [b]	10  →
Cardinal: null     Ordinal: nullte     Ordinal abbreviation: 0.     Adverbial: nullmal     Adverbial abbreviation: 0-mal     Multiplier: nullfach     Multiplier abbreviation: 0-fach
German Wikipedia article on 0

Etymology

From the noun Null (“the number zero”), from Italian nulla, from Latin nulla, feminine singular of nullus (“no, none”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nʊl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Numeral

null

1. (cardinal number) zero; nil; nought; (tennis) love (integer number between -1 and 1, denoting no quantity at all)

   Null mal null ist null.

   Zero times zero is zero.

2. (colloquial) zero; no

   Synonym: (überhaupt) kein

   Ich hab echt null Bock, da mit dir jetzt drüber zu diskutieren.

   I frankly have zero interest in discussing this with you right now.

Coordinate terms

German cardinal numbers from 0 to 99

	—0	—1	—2	—3	—4	—5	—6	—7	—8	—9
0—	null	eins, (before a noun) ein	zwei	drei	vier	fünf	sechs	sieben	acht	neun
1—	zehn	elf	zwölf	dreizehn	vierzehn	fünfzehn	sechzehn	siebzehn	achtzehn	neunzehn
2—	zwanzig	einundzwanzig	zweiundzwanzig	dreiundzwanzig	vierundzwanzig	fünfundzwanzig	sechsundzwanzig	siebenundzwanzig	achtundzwanzig	neunundzwanzig
3—	Germany, Austria: dreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: dreissig	Germany, Austria: einunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: einunddreissig	Germany, Austria: zweiunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: zweiunddreissig	Germany, Austria: dreiunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: dreiunddreissig	Germany, Austria: vierunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: vierunddreissig	Germany, Austria: fünfunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: fünfunddreissig	Germany, Austria: sechsunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: sechsunddreissig	Germany, Austria: siebenunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: siebenunddreissig	Germany, Austria: achtunddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: achtunddreissig	Germany, Austria: neununddreißig Switzerland, Liechtenstein: neununddreissig
4—	vierzig	einundvierzig	zweiundvierzig	dreiundvierzig	vierundvierzig	fünfundvierzig	sechsundvierzig	siebenundvierzig	achtundvierzig	neunundvierzig
5—	fünfzig	einundfünfzig	zweiundfünfzig	dreiundfünfzig	vierundfünfzig	fünfundfünfzig	sechsundfünfzig	siebenundfünfzig	achtundfünfzig	neunundfünfzig
6—	sechzig	einundsechzig	zweiundsechzig	dreiundsechzig	vierundsechzig	fünfundsechzig	sechsundsechzig	siebenundsechzig	achtundsechzig	neunundsechzig
7—	siebzig	einundsiebzig	zweiundsiebzig	dreiundsiebzig	vierundsiebzig	fünfundsiebzig	sechsundsiebzig	siebenundsiebzig	achtundsiebzig	neunundsiebzig
8—	achtzig	einundachtzig	zweiundachtzig	dreiundachtzig	vierundachtzig	fünfundachtzig	sechsundachtzig	siebenundachtzig	achtundachtzig	neunundachtzig
9—	neunzig	einundneunzig	zweiundneunzig	dreiundneunzig	vierundneunzig	fünfundneunzig	sechsundneunzig	siebenundneunzig	achtundneunzig	neunundneunzig

German cardinal numbers from 100 onward

• 100: hundert, einhundert
• 10³: tausend, eintausend
• 10⁴: zehntausend (Myriade)
• 10⁶: Million (tausendmaltausend, tausendtausend)
• 10⁹: Milliarde
• 10¹²: Billion
• 10¹⁵: Billiarde
• 10¹⁸: Trillion
• 10²¹: Trilliarde
• 10²⁴: Quadrillion
• 10²⁷: Quadrilliarde
• 10³⁰: Quintillion
• 10³³: Quintilliarde
• 10³⁶: Sextillion
• 10³⁹: Sextilliarde
• 10⁴²: Septillion
• 10⁴⁵: Septilliarde
• 10⁴⁸: Oktillion
• 10⁵¹: Oktilliarde
• 10⁵⁴: Nonillion
• 10⁵⁷: Nonilliarde
• 10⁶⁰: Dezillion
• 10⁶³: Dezilliarde
• 10⁶⁶: Undezillion
• 10⁶⁹: Undezilliarde
• 10⁷²: Duodezillion
• 10⁷⁵: Duodezilliarde
• 10⁷⁸: Tredezillion
• 10⁸¹: Tredezilliarde
• 10⁸⁴: Quattuordezillion
• 10⁸⁷: Quattuordezilliarde

…

• 10¹⁰⁰: Googol

…

• 10¹²⁰: Vigintillion
• 10¹²³: Vigintilliarde

…

Adjective

null (strong nominative masculine singular nuller, not comparable)

1. (specialist, law, chiefly predicative) null (having no validity)

Declension

Positive forms of null (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist null	sie ist null	es ist null	sie sind null
strong declension (without article)	nominative	nuller	nulle	nulles	nulle
	genitive	nullen	nuller	nullen	nuller
	dative	nullem	nuller	nullem	nullen
	accusative	nullen	nulle	nulles	nulle
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der nulle	die nulle	das nulle	die nullen
	genitive	des nullen	der nullen	des nullen	der nullen
	dative	dem nullen	der nullen	dem nullen	den nullen
	accusative	den nullen	die nulle	das nulle	die nullen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein nuller	eine nulle	ein nulles	(keine) nullen
	genitive	eines nullen	einer nullen	eines nullen	(keiner) nullen
	dative	einem nullen	einer nullen	einem nullen	(keinen) nullen
	accusative	einen nullen	eine nulle	ein nulles	(keine) nullen

Derived terms

• null und nichtig (also in common use)

Further reading

• “null” in Duden online and “null” in Duden online; cp. “Null” in Duden online and “Null” in Duden online
• “null” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache; cp. “Null” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Hunsrik

Hunsrik numbers ^(edit)

		0	1  → [a], [b]	10  →
Cardinal: null     Ordinal: nullt     Adverbial: nie

Etymology

Borrowed from German null

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnul/
• Hyphenation: null

Numeral

null

1. zero

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin nullus (“no one, none, no”), from Proto-Italic *ne oinolos, from Proto-Italic *oinos (“one”), from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one, single”).

Determiner

null

1. no (determiner: not any)

   ha null penger - to have no money

Numeral

null

1. zero, nought, nil

Noun

null m (definite singular nullen, indefinite plural nuller, definite plural nullene)
null n (definite singular nullet, indefinite plural null or nuller, definite plural nulla or nullene)

1. zero (numeric symbol of zero), nought, nil
2. a nobody or nonentity (derogatory about a person)

Derived terms

• nullstille
• nulltoleranse
• nullvekst

References

• “null” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Norwegian Nynorsk cardinal numbers

	0	1  >
Cardinal : null     Ordinal : nulte

Etymology

From Latin nullus.

Determiner

null

1. no (determiner: not any)

   ha null pengar - to have no money

Numeral

null

1. zero, nought, nil

Noun

null m (definite singular nullen, indefinite plural nullar, definite plural nullane)
null n (definite singular nullet, indefinite plural null, definite plural nulla)

1. zero (numeric symbol of zero), nought, nil
2. a nobody or nonentity (derogatory about a person)

Derived terms

• nulltoleranse
• nullvekst

References

• “null” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Pennsylvania German

Pennsylvania German cardinal numbers

<  -	0	1  >
Cardinal : null     Ordinal : nullt

Etymology

Compare German null.

Numeral

null

1. zero