different between nil vs nig

English

Etymology

From Latin n?l, a contraction of nihil, nihilum (“nothing”). See nihilism.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?l/
• Rhymes: -?l

Noun

nil (usually uncountable, plural nils)

1. Nothing; zero.
   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.19:

     As to Aristotle's influence on him, we are left free to conjecture whatever seems to us most plausible. For my part, I should suppose it nil.

Translations

Determiner

nil

1. No, not any.
   • 1982, Gavin Lyall, Conduct of Major Maxim, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd:

     But after two or three hours and nil results, you have to accept that the trail is cold and you can't justify that level of manpower.

Related terms

• nihilism

See also

• null
• nil desperandum

Anagrams

• -lin, Lin, Lin., lin, lin.

Golin

Alternative forms

• nl, n?

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [n???], [n?], [??n??l]

Noun

nil

1. liquid; water

Derived terms

References

• Gordon Bunn, Golin Grammar (1974)

Interlingua

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nil/

Pronoun

nil (indefinite)

1. nothing

Latin

Etymology

Clipping of nihil, in turn from nihilum, from ne- (“not”) + hilum (“a hilum; a trifle, a bagatelle”), or unknown origin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ni?l/, [ni???]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /nil/, [nil]

Noun

n?l n (indeclinable)

1. (chiefly poetic) nothing

   Bene scripsisti de me, Thoma. Quam ergo mercedem accipies? Nil nisi te.

   You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward therefore will you receive? Nothing unless it is you.

References

• nil in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• nil in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Tok Pisin

Etymology

English needle.

Noun

nil

1. needle
2. thorn

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -??

Etymology 1

Clipping of niggard. Unrelated to nigger.

Noun

nig (plural nigs)

1. (archaic) niggard

Etymology 2

Clipping of nigger.

Noun

nig (plural nigs)

1. (offensive, ethnic slur) nigger
   • 1961, Robert Hale Strong, A Yankee private's Civil War

     In a field near the house was a nigger working a poor old broken-down mule and another nigger sowing wheat. When we came up, both nigs quit work and stared at us.

Verb

nig (third-person singular simple present nigs, present participle nigging, simple past and past participle nigged)

1. (Internet slang, ethnic slur) to behave as a stereotypical black person

Anagrams

• -ing, -ïng, GNI, IGN, NGI, gin, ing

Volapük

Noun

nig (nominative plural nigs)

1. ink

Declension

Derived terms

• nigiär

Yapese

Noun

nig

1. fish