nought
nawt
Nought (noun) means Zero; the number or figure representing nothing. Example: “She wrote a two followed by three noughts.”
noun
1
Zero; the number or figure representing nothing.
"She wrote a two followed by three noughts."
"The score ended nought-nought after extra time."
2
Nothing at all.
"All his careful planning came to nought when the flight was cancelled."
How to use nought
Learner’s notesIn 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."
Common pairings
come to nought
nought or two
noughts and crosses
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Word forms
- Plural
- noughts
- Third person singular
- noughts
- Past tense
- noughted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She wrote a two followed by three _____.
Etymology
From Old English nōwiht, a fusion of "no" and "wight" (creature/thing) — literally "not anything." A doublet of "naught" and "not."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for nought
See all rhymes for nought →Frequently asked questions
What does “nought” mean?
The word “nought” means zero; the number or figure representing nothing. In plain terms, a British way of saying "zero" or "nothing.".
How do you pronounce “nought”?
“Nought” is pronounced nawt (/nɔt/ in IPA).
How do you use “nought” in a sentence?
Here is “nought” used in a sentence: “She wrote a two followed by three noughts.”
What part of speech is “nought”?
“Nought” is a noun.
Where does the word “nought” come from?
The word “nought” comes from Old English. From Old English nōwiht, a fusion of "no" and "wight" (creature/thing) — literally "not anything." A doublet of "naught" and "not.".
How many meanings does “nought” have?
“Nought” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: zero; the number or figure representing nothing.
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