zilch

noun /zɪlt͡ʃ/

1. A nobody: a person who is worthless in importance or character.

   archaic, countable, informal

   President Henry P. Zilch. Chairman of the Board Charles D. Zilch. Treasurer Otto Zilch.

2. Nothing, zero.

   informal, uncountable

   Her search for decent home-made winter clothes came up with zilch, so she had to get imported stuff.

Where it comes from

Probably from Joe Zilch, a placeholder name (compare John Doe) used by Nunnally Johnson in his column in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1923; in turn from Joe Zilch, an unseen character referenced in comedian Frank Tinney's stage routine. Compare the rare German surname Zilch.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry zilch (CC BY-SA 4.0).

← zigguratzillah →

Another random word More words starting with Z