real zero

American  

[ree-uhl zeer-oh, reel] / ˈri əl ˈzɪər oʊ, ˈril /

noun

1. Mathematics. a real number that crosses the x-axis on the graph of a function.

2. gross zero.

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Etymology

Origin of real zero

First recorded in 1900–05 real zero for def. 1; 2005–10 real zero for def. 2

Example Sentences

“I look at everything. I am a real nerd in the grocery store, so store optics matter a lot to me.”

From New York Times • Sep. 8, 2020

At school I felt like a real nerd, the skinny, acne-faced wimp who gets picked on by big football jocks all the way home from school.

From Time Magazine Archive

But at school, Rachel kept it going, insisting it was someone who’d given her creep vibes—or real nerd vibes.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows