Words / B1

NORT/nɔːt/

Nought is the UK name for the number 0 in maths and scores (nought point five = 0.5). US zero is understood everywhere and is safer in science. Phone numbers usually use oh (oh seven…); football scores use nil. Noughts and crosses is the UK name for tic-tac-toe. Pos: number.

Meaning

The number 0 (UK; US zero).

Examples

• “Write nought in the box if you scored no points.”
• “Nought is not the same as nil in a match report.”
• “Put nought in the last column if nobody chose that option.”

Good to know

nought = 0 (UK maths). Phone: oh. Football: nil. US: zero. Game: noughts and crosses.

Near in meaning

zero

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