denver water coined the term xeriscape in 1981 by combining "landscape" with the greek prefix "xero-", from ξηρός ("xēros"), meaning dry. the term zero-scaping or zeroscaping is sometimes substituted for xeriscaping due to phonetic similarity. when used seriously, zero-scaping usually refers to a different type of low-water landscaping that is often devoid, or nearly devoid of plants. because "o" is the most common connecting vowel in greco-roman vocabulary, xeriscaping is sometimes misspelled as xeroscaping.