ラテン語のnihil, void, without, ne-, without, hilum, trifle, little thingから略された。すなわち、何もない、派生ゼロ、空。
英語の語源
nil
nil: [19] Latin nil was a contracted form of nihil ‘nothing’ (source of English nihilism [19]). This in turn was a shortening of an earlier nihilum, a compound formed from the negative particle nī and hīlum ‘small or trivial thing’, and thus denoted etymologically ‘not a jot’. => nihilism
nil (n.)
"nothing," 1833, from Latin nil, contraction of nihil, nihilum "nothing, not at all; in vain," from ne- "not" (see un-) + hilum "small thing, trifle," of unknown origin.
例文
1. Profits zoomed from nil in 1981 to about 16 million last year.
利益は1981年のゼロ利益から昨年の1600万に急騰した。
2.They gave an insipid opening performance in a nil - nil draw with Peru.
ペルーチームとの開幕戦は波乱に終わり、0:0で引き分けた。
3.Austria beat Hungary 3- nil in a friendly match at Salzburg on Wednesday.水曜日のザルツブルクでの親善試合でオーストリアはハンガリーを3-0で下した。