zero-sum


ze·ro-sum

(zîr′ō-sŭm′, zē′rō-)adj. Of or relating to a situation in which a gain is offset by an equal loss: "Under the zero-sum budgeting system that governs federal spending, the money for spinal research is likely to be deducted from some other research account" (Daniel S. Greenburg).

zero-sum

adj relating to a situation in which one person's loss is equal to the other person's gain

ze′ro-sum`



adj. denoting an element of game theory in which the amount lost is always equal to the amount gained: a zero-sum economy.