noun
zilch
zihlch
Zilch (noun) means nothing at all; zero. Example: “I asked for a raise and got zilch.”
noun
1
Nothing at all; zero.
"Her search for decent home-made winter clothes came up with zilch, so she had to get imported stuff."
"I asked for a raise and got zilch."
"They searched the whole house and found zilch."
How to use zilch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn informal way of saying "nothing" or "zero."
When to use it
Informal — fine in speech and casual writing, not in formal contexts.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- zilches
- Third person singular
- zilches
- Past tense
- zilched
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I asked for a raise and got _____.
Etymology
Traces back to "Joe Zilch," an American placeholder name from 1920s vaudeville and newspaper columns, used the way "John Doe" is used today.
Class of 1920
zilch joined the language around 1920.
See the full Class of 1920 →
Related words
Rhymes for zilch
See all rhymes for zilch →Frequently asked questions
What does “zilch” mean?
The word “zilch” means nothing at all; zero. In plain terms, an informal way of saying "nothing" or "zero.".
How do you pronounce “zilch”?
“Zilch” is pronounced zihlch (/zɪlt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “zilch” in a sentence?
Here is “zilch” used in a sentence: “I asked for a raise and got zilch.”
What part of speech is “zilch”?
“Zilch” is a noun.
Where does the word “zilch” come from?
The word “zilch” dates back to around 1920. Traces back to "Joe Zilch," an American placeholder name from 1920s vaudeville and newspaper columns, used the way "John Doe" is used today.
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