# zilch

> English word · Noun · IPA /zɪlt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #55,202

## Definitions
1. A nobody: a person who is worthless in importance or character.
2. Nothing, zero.

## Etymology
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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/zilch