year zero
Britishnoun
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the beginning (1975) of the period during which Cambodia was under the control of the Khmer Rouge
-
the beginning of revolutionary change
-
the beginning of any new system or regime
Etymology
Origin of year zero
C20: by analogy with Year One of the French Revolutionary calendar
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.
Ground source heat pumps are one of several solutions the UK government is looking at to meet its target of making all new homes built from this year "zero carbon-ready".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
Since the end of that 2009 season when the future looked so bright, there had been five losing seasons and, until this year, zero conference titles.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 28, 2023
If you’re looking for your NBA feel-good story of the year, zero in on a former Washington State Cougar with a stroke pretty enough for an art expo.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2022
In the eights weeks so far this year: zero.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2017
Normally this would be no big deal; most calendars of that day started with the year one, not the year zero.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
