Where does “null character” come from?
null character (English) comes from English character, from Middle English caracter, from Old French caractere, from Latin character, from Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ, from Ancient Greek χαράσσω, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.
null character (English): A control character with the value zero and no visual representation
Definitions
- A control character with the value zero and no visual representation
Ancestry of “null character”, step by step
null character traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English character
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | character | A being involved in the action of a story; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | caracter | — |
| 3 | Old French | caractere | mark; sign; indication |
| 4 | Latin | character | branding iron; brand; characteristic, mark,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | χαρακτήρ | instrument used for engraving; person who... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | χαράσσω | to sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰer- | to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines |
via English null
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | null | A non-existent or empty value or set of values;... |
| 2 | Middle French | nul | nobody; no one; none |
| 3 | Old French | nul | nobody; no one; none |
| 4 | Latin | nūllus | no one, none, not any, nothing |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | oinos | cardinal number 1 Previous: n/a Next: *duō;... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | óynos | one; single |