What does null mean?
Null is an English word for something that has no value, effect, existence, or legal force. In general use, a null result is a result that reveals no significant effect, while in computing a null value represents missing or deliberately unspecified data. Mathematicians use null for the empty set, the set containing no elements, and statisticians speak of a null hypothesis, which proposes that there is no effect or relationship in the population being studied. In legal language, null may mean void or legally ineffective, as in the phrase null and void. The word can also function as a noun for a zero score and as a verb meaning to cancel or invalidate. Null should not be confused with zero: zero is a definite number, whereas null represents the absence of a value altogether. Its usefulness lies in expressing absence precisely, whether in data, mathematics, research, or law.
Having no value, effect, or existence; absent or empty.
"The missing field was represented by a null value in the form."
A zero score or result, especially in cricket; also a null character in computing.
"The batter was dismissed without scoring, and the card showed a null."
To cancel, invalidate, or render without effect.
"The administrator nulled the pointer before deleting the obsolete record."
The plural is uncommon and is mainly used for zero scores or results.
"The innings included two nulls before the first run."
From the Latin for “not any,” null is the word for something that is deliberately given no value at all.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does null come from?
English null comes from Latin nullus, meaning “none” or “not any,” formed from the negative element ne- and ullus, meaning “any.” The word entered English in the early modern period and developed both ordinary senses of absence and specialized mathematical, scientific, and computing uses. Related forms such as nullify and nullity continue the same idea, while annul came through Latin annullare, meaning “to abolish” or “make void.”
Related word forms
How null is actually used
In computing, null is standard terminology for an absent value and is distinct from zero, which is an actual numeric value. In legal and formal contexts, null can sound technical or archaic; null and void is an established legal phrase. The verb null is relatively uncommon in general English, while nullify is often preferred.
Easily confused with null
In programming, null is the usual term for an absent value, whereas nil is the corresponding concept in several other languages; the choice depends on the language.