nihil

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnihil/

Pronoun

nihil

1. (indefinite) The absence of anything; nothing.

Alternative forms

• nīl
• nichil (Medieval)

Etymology

From nihilum, from ne- (“not”) +‎ hilum (“a trifle, a bagatelle”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈni.hil/, [ˈnɪ.hɪɫ]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈni.kil/

• Audio (Classical)

  (file)

Pronoun

nihil n (indeclinable)

1. indefinite nothing
   • c. 185 BCE – 159 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Heauton Timorumenos 1.77

     Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.

     I am a man, I consider nothing that is human alien to me.

   • 63 BCE, Cicero, Catiline Orations Oratio in Catilinam Prima in Senatu Habita.8

     Nihil agis, nihil moliris, nihil cogitas quod non ego non modo audiam sed etiam videam planeque sentiam.

     You do nothing, you plan nothing, you think of nothing which I not only do not hear, but which I do not see and know every particular of.

   Nihilne in mentem? ― Does nothing come to mind?

   Nihil est. ― It's nothing.

   Nihil sub sole novum. ― There is nothing new under the sun.

References

• nihil in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• nihil in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• nihil in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• nihil in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • I cannot wait till..: nihil mihi longius est or videtur quam dum or quam ut
    
  • nothing is more tiresome to me than..: nihil mihi longius est quam (c. Inf.)
    
  • a wise man is in no way affected by this: hoc nihil ad sapientem pertinet
    
  • to live a life free from all misfortune: nihil calamitatis (in vita) videre
    
  • to afford no consolation: nihil habere consolationis
    
  • to considerably (in no way) further the common good: multum (nihil) ad communem utilitatem afferre
    
  • I will refuse you nothing: nihil tibi a me postulanti recusabo
    
  • not to trouble oneself about a thing: nihil omnino curare
    
  • there is nothing I am more interested in than..: nihil antiquius or prius habeo quam ut (nihil mihi antiquius or potius est, quam ut)
    
  • to live as scrupulously moral a life as ever: nihil ex pristina virtute remittere
    
  • to do no business with a man: nihil cum aliquo contrahere
    
  • not to mention..: ut non (nihil) dicam de...
    
  • but this is not to the point: sed hoc nihil (sane) ad rem
    
  • there is something in what you say; you are more or less right: aliquid (τι) dicis (opp. nihil dicis)
    

Alternative forms

• نيهيل‎

Etymology

From Latin nihil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nihel/
• Rhymes: -hel, -el

Numeral

nihil (Jawi spelling نيهيل)

1. (cardinal) zero

Particle

Only used in nihil obstat