2007-01-24 01:51:47 · 12 answers · asked by learn and accept 1 in Sports ➔ Tennis
I once read - and it sounds foolish now - but I believed it at the time - that it's from the French l'oeff (sp?) meaning the egg. The zero looks like an egg, so it got that nickname.
2007-01-24 01:55:44 · answer #1 · answered by All hat 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because you have to love Tennis to continue playing while having zero.
2007-01-24 02:23:02 · answer #2 · answered by Espico 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It comes from the French word "l'oeuf", meaning "the egg". The shape of an egg resembles a zero.
2007-01-24 01:56:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"The origin of the use of "love" for zero is disputed; it is possible that it derives from the French word for an egg (l‘oeuf) because an egg looks like the number zero. "Love" is also said to possibly derive from "l'heure" or "the hour" in French." - quote from Wikipedia
Hope that helps!
2007-01-24 04:22:26 · answer #4 · answered by swisshorizon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can be traced to the 17th-century expression "play for love," meaning 'to play without any wager, for nothing'. It is this meaning of 'nothing' that love takes on when used in tennis
2007-01-24 07:48:37 · answer #5 · answered by IB M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is actually derived from 'louve', a French word meaning zero.
2007-01-24 04:01:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It comes from french, l'eurve , or "egg".. get it, like a 0?
Also called a bagel
2007-01-24 04:11:05 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is easy to say and sounds goods.
2007-01-24 02:04:46 · answer #8 · answered by andy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Cause the other person loves you for letting them win.
2007-01-24 01:54:43 · answer #9 · answered by crispy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
good question, but i dont have a clue
2007-01-24 01:53:39 · answer #10 · answered by Stephen R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋