The word "nihilism" comes from "", which is the Latin word for "nothing". But the exact origins of the word "nihilism" are unclear. In the Middle Ages the word was used for some kinds of heresy. Around the time of the French Revolution, it was a word for the destruction of Christianity and traditional European values. It was used in many European countries. Soon, the word was also used in English. It probably came from the French, German, or Late Latin form of the word.