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zeroth

American  
[zeer-ohth] / ˈzɪər oʊθ /

adjective

  1. coming in a series before the first.

    the zeroth level of energy.


zeroth British  
/ ˈzɪərəʊð /

adjective

  1. denoting a term in a series that precedes the term otherwise regarded as the first term

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of zeroth

First recorded in 1895–1900; zero + -th 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Plus the zeroth law: "A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm."

From Salon Oct. 9, 2021

“To zeroth order, our ideas of how these things formed seem to be vindicated,” he says.

From Scientific American Jan. 8, 2019

They also got a serious obesity epidemics, too much good cheap food and zeroth physical activity.

From New York Times Oct. 18, 2016

It is called the zeroth law of thermodynamics.

From Textbooks Aug. 12, 2015

Node:toad, Next:toast, Previous:to a zeroth approximation, Up:= T = toad vt.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.2.2, 20 Aug 2000 by Steele, Guy L.

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