nil

[ nil ]
See synonyms for nil on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. nothing; naught; zero.

adjective
  1. having no value or existence: His credit rating is nil.

Origin of nil

1
First recorded in 1805–15; from Latin nīl, variant of nīlum, contraction of nihilum “nothing,” equivalent to ne- “not” + hīlum “trifle”

Other definitions for NIL (2 of 2)

NIL

abbreviation
  1. name, image, likeness: aspects of a collegiate athlete’s identity for which they may earn money from a third party, as for advertising sponsorship or merchandise sales, although they are prohibited from being paid directly by colleges and universities for their participation in intercollegiate sports: Student-athletes should report NIL activities consistent with state law or school and conference requirements to their school.The NCAA decision about NIL has forever changed college football, allowing players to make money for the first time.

Origin of NIL

2
First recorded in 2021; by abbreviation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use nil in a sentence

  • Still Nils kept on making good resolutions and breaking them, and then piecing them together again and breaking them anew.

    Boyhood in Norway | Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen
  • But the schoolmaster, hearing that Nils could not play, thought his request a foolish one and refused.

    Boyhood in Norway | Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen

British Dictionary definitions for nil

nil

/ (nɪl) /


noun
  1. another word for nothing: used esp in the scoring of certain games

Origin of nil

1
C19: from Latin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012