zero-sum
|ze-ro-sum|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˈzɪəroʊ sʌm/
🇬🇧
/ˈzɪərəʊ sʌm/
balanced gain and loss
Etymology
Etymology Information
'zero-sum' originates from the concept of 'zero' in mathematics, where the sum of gains and losses equals zero.
Historical Evolution
The term 'zero-sum' evolved from economic and game theory contexts, emphasizing situations where resources are fixed and one party's gain is another's loss.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to mathematical equations, but over time it evolved into its current meaning in economic and strategic contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
involving a situation in which one party's gain is exactly balanced by another party's loss.
In a zero-sum game, if one player wins, the other must lose.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45