Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory ($\mathsf {ZF}$) :
is an axiom system formulated in first-order logic with equality and with only one binary relation symbol $\in$ for membership.
Thus, its language is that of first-order logic, with sentential connective symbols: $→,¬, \lor,\land$; individual variables: $v_1, v_2, \ldots$; the equality symbol $=$; and the quantifier symbols: $\forall, \exists$.
In addition to them, the theory has only one (binary) predicate : $\in$ to mean "membership". It is the only "undefined" concept of the theory.
With them we can formulate the axioms of $\mathsf {ZF}$ set theory.
One of the axioms is the Null Set axiom :
$∃x \ \forall y \ \lnot (y ∈ x)$.
Using this axiom and the Extensionality Axiom it is provable that the set satisfying the axiom is unique.
Thus, we may introduce the defined term "$\emptyset$" (a new symbol) to denote it.
Note
The most common formulation of $\mathsf {ZF}$ set theory is based on FOL with equality.
Thus "$=$" is part of the background logic, that means that the usual axioms like $∀x(x=x)$ are assumed.
There are versions where the background logic does not include equality "$=$"; in that case $x=y$ may be defined as an abbreviation for :
$∀z[z∈x ↔ z∈y] ∧ ∀w[x∈w ↔ y∈w]$,
with a suitable reformulation of the Extensionalty Axiom. In that case, the usual properties of = must be proved from the above definition.
Undefined Concepts
? and in the language of $\sf ZFC$ the only symbol is $\in$ – ℋolo Dec 16 '18 at 12:39