null

American  

[nuhl] / nʌl /

adjective

1. without value, effect, consequence, or significance.

2. being or amounting to nothing; nil; lacking; nonexistent.

3. Mathematics. (of a set)

   1. empty.

   2. of measure zero.

4. being or amounting to zero.

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noun

1. Electronics. a point of minimum signal reception, as on a radio direction finder or other electronic meter.

verb (used with object)

1. to cancel; make null.

idioms

1. null and void, without legal force or effect; not valid.

   This contract is null and void.

null British  

/ nʌl /

adjective

1. without legal force; invalid; (esp in the phrase null and void )

2. without value or consequence; useless

3. lacking distinction; characterless

   a null expression

4. nonexistent; amounting to nothing

5. maths

   1. quantitatively zero

   2. relating to zero

   3. (of a set) having no members

   4. (of a sequence) having zero as a limit

6. physics involving measurement in which an instrument has a zero reading, as with a Wheatstone bridge

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null Scientific  

/ nŭl /

1. Of or relating to a set having no members or to zero magnitude.

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Etymology

Origin of null

1555–65; < Latin nūllus, equivalent to n ( e ) not + ūllus any

Explanation

Null means having no value; in other words null is zero, like if you put so little sugar in your coffee that it’s practically null. Null also means invalid, or having no binding force. From the Latin nullus, meaning "not any," poor, powerless null is not actually there at all. Or if it was, it’s gone now. Because null is basically nothing, zip, zilch, nada, and nix. What could be worse? Maybe being "null and void," which is a legal term making something really, really null. Null is the base of the word nullify, which means to make something invalid or to cancel something out.

Example Sentences

The storm was potent enough to push San Francisco’s cumulative rainfall total above normal for the first time this season, according to a local meteorologist, Jan Null.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

Balancing Germany's budget is a feature of German politics, and is known as the schwarze Null, or black zero.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2023

Null said data from previous El Niño events also demonstrate its unpredictability.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2023

But the most recent very strong El Niño in 2015-16 was relatively dry in California, resulting in just 86% of normal precipitation in the South Coast region that includes Los Angeles, Null said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2023

Mr. Null felt that look in the very marrow of his bones.

From Heart and Science A Story of the Present Time by Collins, Wilkie

Related Words

• ineffective
• inoperative
• invalid
• unreal
• worthless