The word ''zero'' came via French ''zéro'' from Venetian zero, which (together with cypher) came via Italian ''zefiro'' from Arabic صفر, ṣafira = "it was empty", ṣifr = "zero", "nothing". The first known English use was in 1598. | The word ''zero'' came via French ''zéro'' from Venetian zero, which (together with cypher) came via Italian ''zefiro'' from Arabic صفر, ṣafira = "it was empty", ṣifr = "zero", "nothing". The first known English use was in 1598. |