noun

nought

nawt

noun

Zero; the number or figure representing nothing.

"She wrote a two followed by three noughts."

"The score ended nought-nought after extra time."

Nothing at all.

"All his careful planning came to nought when the flight was cancelled."

How to Use Nought

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA British way of saying "zero" or "nothing."

UK vs US

Common in British English, especially in phone numbers and scores; Americans usually say "zero" or "oh."

Easily confused with

naught → not →

Common pairings

come to nought nought or two noughts and crosses

noughted past tense, noughts plural, noughts singular

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She wrote a two followed by three _____.

From Old English nōwiht, a fusion of "no" and "wight" (creature/thing) — literally "not anything." A doublet of "naught" and "not."

ought bought Fought wrought thought drought dreadnought overwrought afterthought