Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nonzero” come from?

Nonzero is a compound of the English prefix non- and zero, which derives from Latin nōna (feminine of nōnus, meaning "ninth") and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁néwn̥, the same root as English nine.

nonzero (English): Not equal to zero; Of an unspecified positive...

Definitions

  1. Not equal to zero; Of an unspecified positive...

Ancestry of “nonzero”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishnon-Used in the sense of no or none, to show lack of...
2Latinnōnus—
3Latinnovenosaccusative masculine plural of novēnus
4Latinnovemnine; 9; first-person singular present active...
5LatinnovoI make new, renew, refresh; I alter, change;...
6Proto-Italicnowāō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeannéweh₂tito renew
8Proto-Indo-Europeannéwosnew
9Proto-Indo-Europeannew-new; to nod, assent to

Words derived from “nonzero”

  • non-zero
Every word from Proto-Indo-European new- →