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JadziaDax · 05-07-2003, 01:29 AM

The Word of the Day for May 7 is:

zeroth • \ZEE-roath\ • (adjective) being numbered zero in a series; also - of, relating to, or being a zero

A little more information about today’s word:
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to use "zeroth," but the word, which was coined by physicists a little over a hundred years ago, does often show up in scientific contexts. (It comes from "zero," which is itself from Arabic "sifr.") Renowned Soviet physicist Lev Landau had a little fun with "zeroth" when he classified all the famous physicists according to the relative value of their contributions to science. He put Niels Bohr and Max Planck, for example, right up there in the first class, and lesser-rated physicists in the second through fifth classes. Where did he think Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton belonged? They were unmatched, he felt, and they went in the category that superseded the first—his zeroth class.

My sentence:
"A fundamental scientific law, known as the zeroth law of thermodynamics, says that nothing can ever be cooled down to absolute zero."
-- Roger Highfield, Hamilton Spectator [Canada], August 9, 1997

Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition.

Next sentence?

05-07-2003, 01:29 AM	#49 (permalink)
JadziaDax Loser Location: who the fuck cares?	Word of the day May 7 The Word of the Day for May 7 is: zeroth • \ZEE-roath\ • (adjective) being numbered zero in a series; also - of, relating to, or being a zero A little more information about today’s word: You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to use "zeroth," but the word, which was coined by physicists a little over a hundred years ago, does often show up in scientific contexts. (It comes from "zero," which is itself from Arabic "sifr.") Renowned Soviet physicist Lev Landau had a little fun with "zeroth" when he classified all the famous physicists according to the relative value of their contributions to science. He put Niels Bohr and Max Planck, for example, right up there in the first class, and lesser-rated physicists in the second through fifth classes. Where did he think Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton belonged? They were unmatched, he felt, and they went in the category that superseded the first—his zeroth class. My sentence: "A fundamental scientific law, known as the zeroth law of thermodynamics, says that nothing can ever be cooled down to absolute zero." -- Roger Highfield, Hamilton Spectator [Canada], August 9, 1997 Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition. Next sentence?