zilch, n. & adj.

zilch
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zilch_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2021

# zilchnoun & adjective

## Earlier version

- zilch, n. (and a.) in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the word zilch mean?

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the word zilch. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How common is the word zilch?

About 0.03occurrences per million words in modern written English

1950 | 0.011
1960 | 0.017
1970 | 0.023
1980 | 0.027
1990 | 0.031
2000 | 0.037
2010 | 0.043

### How is the word zilch pronounced?

#### British English

/zɪltʃ/
zilch

#### U.S. English

/zɪltʃ/
zilch

### Where does the word zilch come from?

Earliest known use

1920s

The earliest known use of the word zilch is in the 1920s.

OED's earliest evidence for zilch is from 1925, in the writing of F. Bowers.

zilch is of uncertain origin.

### Nearby entries

1. zigzag, v. 1777–
2. zigzag connection, n. 1922–
3. zigzagged, adj. 1774–
4. zigzaggery, n. 1761–
5. zigzaggy, adj. a1845–
6. zigzag machine, n. 1952–
7. zigzag trefoil, n. 1796–
8. zig-zig, n. 1918–
9. Zika, n. 1952–
10. Zilavka, n. 1926–
11. zilch, n. & adj.1925–
12. zilch, v. 1957–
13. zill, n. 1754–
14. zilla, n. 1772–
15. -zilla, comb. form
16. zilladar, n. 1763–
17. Zil lane, n. 1985–
18. zilla parishad, n. 1957–
19. zillion, n. & adj. 1920–
20. zillionaire, n. 1926–
21. zillionth, n. & adj. 1940–

## Etymology

### Summary

Of uncertain origin.
Origin uncertain; perhaps related to Joe Zilch, a name used for an unknown or inconsequential person (< the male forename Joe (see Joe n.2) + Zilch, perhaps a variant of Zilsch, a surname of Central…
Origin uncertain; perhaps related to Joe Zilch, a name used for an unknown or inconsequential person (< the male forename Joe (see Joe n.2) + Zilch, perhaps a variant of Zilsch, a surname of Central European origin; compare John Doe n.).

Compare earlier zip n.2, zero n. A.5, and zero adj. B.2.

### Notes

Compare the following earlier uses of Joe Zilch (and variants):

1. 1922

   > The end came during the sentimental number called ‘The Coachman's Heart,’ in which Joseph Zilch, Mr. Tinney's mysterious off-stage friend, was represented by his widow in the dental personality of Marion Sunshine.

   Life 14 September 20/1
2. 1928

   > I don't wear ‘specs’ and the crowds don'w know me from Joe Zilsch.

   Dayton (Ohio) Daily News 13 May (Sunday Sport section) 12/8
3. 1932

   > That famous individual—Joe Zilch—has been located at Yale. The Yale News reports his name has graced freshman attendance sheets for several weeks.

   Washington Post 6 March a7/7
4. 1942

   > One whose name is not known,..Joe Doe, Joe Zilch, John Doe, John Henry, John Smith.

   L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark, American Thesaurus of Slang §442/3

The origin and significance of sense A.1 is unclear; it is first recorded (in quot. 1925) in a discussion of the name Joe Zilsch.

## Meaning & use

slang (originally U.S.).

1. noun
   1. 1.
      1925–
      An imaginary musical instrument. rare.
      1. 1925

         > College slang is a language all its own... The word..‘Zilsch’ seems to have been coined at first as an imaginary instrument in an orchestra vaguely resembling the big bass horn.

         F. Bowers in Providence (Rhode Island) Sunday Journal 15 February f5/7
      2. 1934

         > Peter Biljo and his Russian Balalaika orchestra are heard Tuesdays and Wednesdays..over WJSV from C. B. S. networks. The instrument he's playing, we learn from authenticated sources, is not a zilch.

         Washington Post 31 August 26/2 (caption)
      3. 1942

         > Zilch, an imaginary wind instrument.

         L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark, American Thesaurus of Slang 558
      music U.S. English colloquial and slang
   2. 2.
      1933–
      A person of no importance or consequence; a worthless or insignificant person; a nobody, a nonentity.
      1. 1933

         > You zilch, don't you know that mast hoops never wear out?

         Motor Boating June 68/1
      2. 1965

         > The language of personal insult flourishes. A zilch is a total loss, and so is a wimp..gink..skag..lunchbucket.

         Time 1 January 56/3
      3. 1993

         > I was mad at you because of the way you treated me. You treated me like a zilch!

         R. Taylor & J. Bologna, Love Allways 197
      4. 2020

         > They're losers... They will always be losers. Zilches.

         @TorchysBar 1 May in twitter.com (accessed 21 Aug.)
      U.S. English colloquial and slang
      1. weak a1450–
         As a count noun: a weak person (in various senses of the adjective). rare before the 21st cent.; colloquial in later use (cf. lame, n.¹ 3).
      2. botch 1769–
         colloquial. An unskilful or incompetent worker; = botcher, n.¹ 1. Also (more generally): a useless person, a failure; a bungler; an incompetent…
      3. non-starter 1839–
         A person who or thing which does not start; esp. a person or animal that fails to start in a race or other contest.
      4. schlemiel 1868–
         An awkward or clumsy person, a blunderer; a habitually unlucky person; a foolish or pathetic person.
      5. also-ran 1896–
         A person who competes in but does not win a contest, election, etc. Also: a person who or thing which attains little or no success.
      6. cop-out 1896–1911
         Australian. Apparently: (a nickname for) a person who is unlucky or who (frequently) fails or gets into unpleasant situations. Cf. to cop out 2. Obs…
      7. rinky-dink 1900–
         An unsuccessful, unimportant, or despised person.
      8. flivver 1915–
         A person or thing that has a damaging or deleterious influence; a failure.
      9. jabroni 1919–
         U.S. slang and colloquial (derogatory, often used mockingly). A stupid, objectionable, or ridiculous man; a loser, a knuckle-head.
      10. bust 1922–
          A failure, a flop; a disappointing person or experience.
      11. blowout 1925–
          slang (originally U.S.). A conspicuous or irretrievable failure; a fiasco, a debacle. Cf. wash-out, n. 4.
      12. wash-out 1925–
          slang. A useless or unsuccessful person; spec. in Air Force slang, a person who is eliminated from a course of training.
      13. dropout 1930–
          A person who ‘drops out’ (see to drop out 2 at drop, v. phrasal verbs), esp. from a course of study or from society; also, the act of withdrawing…
      14. zilch 1933–
          A person of no importance or consequence; a worthless or insignificant person; a nobody, a nonentity.
      15. sad sack 1943–
          An inept, foolish, or pathetic person (originally a member of the armed services); a social misfit. Also in extended use, of a thing.
      16. loser 1955–
          An unsuccessful or incompetent person, a failure.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. unknown c1390–
         A person who is not known; an unfamiliar or unidentified individual. Also (esp. in later use): a person who is not widely-known, famous, or…
      2. pawn c1450–
         figurative and in figurative contexts. A person or thing of little value, status, power, etc.; a servile agent, a minion. Now chiefly: a person or…
      3. cipher in algorism c1475–1628
         The figure 0; (figurative) a person of no significance, a cipher.
      4. semi-cipher?1550
         A nothing or nobody.
      5. bauble 1570–
         figurative and extended uses denoting a person or thing regarded as inferior or of little importance. A person regarded as of little importance or…
      6. Jack with the feather 1581–
         Phrases: a feather in the cap, hat: a decoration, mark of honour, literal and figurative (also elliptical); also †the badge of a fool; hence †Jack w…
      7. nobody 1583–
         A person of no importance, authority, or social position.
      8. winterling 1585
         Apparently: a person of little account, significance, or experience. Obsolete. rare.
      9. squash 1600–
         The unripe pod of a pea. Also applied contemptuously to persons. Obsolete exc. archaic.
      10. rush candle 1628–
          figurative and in figurative contexts. Something weak, feeble, or insignificant. Also with reference to a person. Cf. rushlight, n. 1a.
      11. nifle c1635–1849
          An insignificant person. Obsolete. rare.
      12. nullity 1657–
          A person regarded as being insignificant, unintelligent, or beneath consideration; a nonentity.
      13. nonentity 1710–
          A person or thing with no special or interesting qualities; a characterless, unimportant, or insignificant person or thing.
      14. pippin squeezer 1779–89
          An insignificant, young, or feeble individual, a lightweight; cf. pippin, n. 4a.
      15. featherweight 1812–
          Horse Racing. The lightest weight allowed by the rules to be carried by a horse in a handicap. Hence sometimes applied to the rider.
      16. underscrub 1822–
          An undergrown or insignificant person.
      17. nyaff 1825–
          A diminutive, insignificant, or contemptible person. Now frequently in wee nyaff.
      18. small fish 1836–
          A person or thing of relatively small importance or significance; esp. in small fish in a big pond and variants: a person or thing regarded as…
      19. no-account 1840–
          A person of no account or importance; an insignificant, worthless person.
      20. little fish 1846–
          A person or thing of relatively little importance or significance, esp. in little fish in a big pond (and variants): a person or thing regarded as…
      21. peanut 1864–
          colloquial (originally U.S.). A small, unintelligent, or unimportant person (see also quots. 1945, 1968).
      22. commonplacer 1874–
          colloquial (originally U.S.). A common or ordinary person or thing.
      23. sparrow-fart 1886–
          a. dialect and slang, break of day, very early morning; also plural; b. rare a person of no consequence.
      24. Little Willie 1901–
          colloquial. (A name for) an ordinary or insignificant, or a foolish or incompetent, man.
      25. pipsqueak 1905–
          colloquial. An insignificant person or thing; a youngster.
      26. nebbish 1907–
          An insignificant or ineffectual person; a nobody; a nonentity.
      27. pie-biter 1911–
          Australian slang. derogatory = pie eater, n.
      28. blob 1916–
          Someone of no account, a ‘cipher’ or fool. colloquial and slang (chiefly Australian).
      29. smallie 1930–
          colloquial (originally U.S.). An unimportant or insignificant person. Cf. biggie, n. 1a.
      30. no-count 1932–
          = no-account, n.
      31. zilch 1933–
          A person of no importance or consequence; a worthless or insignificant person; a nobody, a nonentity.
      32. Mickey Mouse 1935–
          colloquial. An easily influenced person; one who is inconsequential, timid, or weak.
      33. muzhik 1945–
          Now historical. In extended use.
      34. nerd 1951–
          slang (originally U.S.). Mildly derogatory. An insignificant, foolish, or socially inept person; a person who is boringly conventional or studious. Now also: spec. a person who pursues an…
      35. nothingburger 1953–
          colloquial and often derogatory (originally and chiefly U.S.). A person or thing of no importance, value, or substance. Now esp.: something which, contrary to expectations, turns out to be insignificant or…
      36. nerk 1955–
          A foolish, objectionable, or insignificant person.
      37. non-person 1959–
          A person who is regarded as non-existent or unimportant, or who is not considered as a person for purposes of entitlement to rights, etc.; an…
      38. no-mark 1982–
          A person considered to be of no account; a nobody, a failure.
      39. bottom-dweller 2011–
          a. A fish or other aquatic organism whose natural habitat is at or near the bottom of a body of water; b. figurative (frequently disparaging) a…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   3. 3.
      1956–
      Nothing at all, zero; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Cf. zip n.2
      1. 1956

         > ‘What are the chances for rescue?’ an operator asked. ‘Zilch!’ somebody muttered.

         Popular Mechanics July 74/2
      2. 1958

         > We hate to discourage you, but we don't have ‘zilch’ for this edition of Town and Country.

         Jefferson City (Missouri) Post-Tribune 15 May 4/3
      3. 1977

         > Our sex life is practically zilch, and he almost never pays any attention to me.

         Playgirl May 12/2
      4. 1984

         > Three further 45s ensued in 1979 and '80, plus an album which didn't sell. After that, zilch.

         Sounds 1 December 38/3
      5. 2004

         > The level of communication between all these bodies charged with rooting out fraud is close to zilch.

         H. Kennedy, Just Law (2005) iv. 113
      U.S. English colloquial and slang
      1. nought Old English–
         That which does not exist, nothingness. Cf. naught, pron. A.1. Now archaic and rare.
      2. devil hae't c1590–
         Not a whit; very little; nothing at all. Cf. devil a haet at haet, n. 1a.
      3. neither tip nor toe 1610
         neither tip nor toe: not a particle or trace, none at all.
      4. nix 1781–
         Nothing; nobody.
      5. damn the haet 1787–
         damn the haet (formerly also †damned haet): nothing at all. Cf. damn all, n.
      6. no nothing 1815–
         colloquial. no nothing: absolutely nothing, nothing at all.
      7. zero 1823–
         Nil, no amount; none at all.
      8. all 1842–
         In various formations modelled on damn all (see damn all, n.), in which damn is replaced with other swear words, oaths, and expletives, or…
      9. neither hide nor hair 1857–
         In collocation with hair, esp. in (in) hide and hair: wholly, entirely; neither hide nor hair: nothing whatever. (So Dutch huid en haar.)
      10. zip 1900–
          Nothing at all, zero; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Cf. zilch, n.
      11. nixie 1906–
          = nix, n.¹ B.a. rare.
      12. niente 1908–
          Nothing (more), not anything. Also as int.
      13. damn all 1910–
          Nothing at all, absolutely nothing.
      14. fuck-all 1916–
          coarse slang. Nothing at all; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Also sweet fuck all (cf. Fanny Adams, n. 2, S.F.A., n.).
      15. Fanny Adams 1919–
          slang. Nothing at all. Chiefly in sweet Fanny Adams in the same sense.
      16. bugger-all 1921–
          Nothing at all, absolutely nothing.
      17. S.F.A. 1933–
          Sweet Fanny Adams (cf. F.A., n., Fanny Adams, n. 2).
      18. not a sausage 1938–
          transferred and figurative. Colloquial phrase not a sausage (and variants), nothing at all.
      19. shit 1949–
          Now chiefly coarse slang. In negative contexts: anything at all, the least thing. In positive contexts: nothing at all.
      20. zilch 1956–
          Nothing at all, zero; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Cf. zip, n.²
      21. eff-all 1958–
          = fuck-all, n.
      22. sod all 1958–
          Nothing at all, absolutely nothing.
      23. diddly-squat 1963–
          As a count noun: a thing of little value or significance; esp. in not to give a diddly-squat. As a mass noun: nothing at all; (in negative…
      24. diddly 1964–
          = diddly-squat, n.
      25. jack-all 1965–
          Nothing at all; (in negative constructions) anything at all; the least thing. Cf. jackshit, n., jack squat, n.
      26. zippo 1973–
          Nothing at all; nought, zero. Also as adj.: no, not any, zero. Cf. zip, n.², zilch, n.
      27. feck-all 1975–
          = fuck-all, n.
      28. hee-haw 1975–
          Scottish colloquial. Nothing at all, absolutely nothing.
      29. naff all 1977–
          Nothing at all. Frequently euphemistic for fuck-all, n.
      30. jack squat 1986–
          Nothing at all; (in negative constructions) anything at all. Cf. jack-all, n., jackshit, n.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
2. adjective
   1. 1.
      1958–
      Inferior, unsatisfactory; dull, unexciting. Now rare.
      1. 1958

         > Sunbathers all agreed that zilch was the word for Tappan Hall's sub-basement cocktail lounge.

         Michiganensian vol. 62 320/2
      2. 1964

         > Two layers of meaning are conveyed..by zilch..and blah: both are adjectives applied to unsuccessful parties, though a blah party can be said to be somewhat worse.

         American Speech vol. 39 119
      U.S. English colloquial and slang
      1. unacceptable 1483–
         Not acceptable.
      2. discontentive 1578–1623
         Expressive of or characterized by discontent; (also) causing discontent.
      3. inacceptable 1578–
         Not acceptable, unacceptable.
      4. discontenting 1579–
         Causing discontent; dissatisfying; †displeasing (obsolete).
      5. discontentful 1604–
         Full of or characterized by discontent; feeling or expressive of dissatisfaction; (formerly also) †causing discontent (obsolete).
      6. dissatisfactory c1610–
         Not satisfactory; causing dissatisfaction or discontent; unsatisfactory; ‘unable to give content’ (Johnson).
      7. undigestable 1612–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 1b.)
      8. ungratifying 1695–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      9. dissatisfying 1709–
         That fails to satisfy, or renders unsatisfied.
      10. unsatisfactory 1843–
          (un-, prefix¹ affix 1.)
      11. crook 1898–
          Australian and New Zealand. Of things: bad, inferior; out of order, unsatisfactory; unpleasant, dreadful.
      12. daggy 1956–
          Originally: contemptible, unacceptable. Now: uncool or awkward; unfashionable or outdated.
      13. zilch 1958–
          Inferior, unsatisfactory; dull, unexciting. Now rare.
      14. lame 1959–
          slang and colloquial (originally U.S.). Originally in African American usage. Contemptible; despicable; unacceptable.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. unpleasant 1558–1768
         Not humorous, jocular, or amusing. Obsolete.
      2. sportless 1598–
         Devoid of, or lacking in, sport; characterized by the absence of sport.
      3. unridiculous 1646–
         Not ridiculous.
      4. undistracting a1684–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      5. undiverting 1695–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      6. unentertaining 1695–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      7. indivertive 1700
         Not divertive; not of an amusing or entertaining character or tendency.
      8. unamusive 1755–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 1.)
      9. unanimating 1785–
         (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      10. unamusing 1794–
          (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      11. unexciting 1833–
          (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      12. sober 1838–
          Unexciting or uneventful; dull.
      13. unstimulating 1844–
          (un-, prefix¹ affix 4.)
      14. zilch 1958–
          Inferior, unsatisfactory; dull, unexciting. Now rare.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   2. 2.
      1969–
      In attributive use. Absolutely no; not any.
      Now the usual sense.
      1. 1969

         > A critical wowser that sold zilch copies.

         Los Angeles Free Press 7 February 10
      2. 1977

         > Gorgeous faces but zilch talent.

         Telegraph (Brisbane) 3 February 14/3
      3. 2018

         > There's zilch queuing time at these points.

         Autocar (Nexis) 4 November
      U.S. English colloquial and slang
      1. nany Old English–1450
         Not any, no.
      2. none Old English–
         Not any; = no, adj. 1. Now archaic and Scottish (rare).
      3. none-kins Old English–1500
         No kind of, not any, no.
      4. no (none) such Old English–
         no (†none) such adj., rarely †no such a; absolute or as pronoun now only none such (cf. none such, no… No (person or thing) of the kind; none of the…
      5. no late Old English–
         With a singular or plural noun. Not any. Accompanied by other negatives, with overall negative force (sometimes with more emphasis than a single…
      6. no kin a1400–1598
         No kind of, not any, no.
      7. zero 1823–
         In sense A.3a.
      8. nix 1846–
         = no, adj. Esp. in phrases representing Anglicization of German phrases, as nix fish-tins, etc.
      9. nought 1945–
         Zero; no, not any.
      10. bugger-all 1948–
          Not any; absolutely no; very little.
      11. damn all 1953–
          Absolutely no; not any. Also in weakened sense: very little.
      12. fuck-all 1961–
          coarse slang. Absolutely no; not any. Also as an intensifier (cf. fucking, adj. A.2).
      13. eff-all 1965–
          = fuck-all, adj.
      14. zilch 1969–
          In attributive use. Absolutely no; not any.
      15. zip 1969–
          Absolutely no; not any. Cf. zilch, adj. B.2.
      16. zippo 1973–
          Nothing at all; nought, zero. Also as adj.: no, not any, zero. Cf. zip, n.², zilch, n.
      17. sod all 1978–
          Not any; absolutely no; very little.
      18. negative 1984–
          colloquial (originally U.S. Services' slang). Designating an absolute lack of something; = no, adj. 1b.
      View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zɪltʃ/
zilch

### U.S. English

/zɪltʃ/
zilch

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. 1900s
   zilsch (rare)
2. 1900s–
   zilch, ziltch

## Frequency

zilch typically occurs about 0.03 times per million words in modern written English.

zilch is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zilch, n. & adj., 1950–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
1950 | 0.011
1960 | 0.017
1970 | 0.023
1980 | 0.027
1990 | 0.031
2000 | 0.037
2010 | 0.043

### Frequency of zilch, n. & adj., 2017–2024

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the corpus.

Period | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
2017 | 0.11
2018 | 0.11
2019 | 0.11
2020 | 0.11
2021 | 0.11
2022 | 0.11
2023 | 0.11
2024 | 0.11

## Compounds & derived words

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1. zilch, v. 1957–
   transitive. To defeat (an opponent in a game or…

zilch, n. & adj. was revised in March 2021.

zilch, n. & adj. was last modified in September 2024.