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naught also nought

(nôt)

1. Nonexistence; nothingness.

2. The figure 0; a cipher; a zero.

pron.

Nothing: All their work was for naught.

adj.

1. Nonexistent.

2. Insignificant.

[Middle English, from Old English nāwiht : nā, no; see ne in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + wiht, thing; see wekti- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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