Dictionary

billion en · NUM

Pronunciation

(US) audio
bĭl'yən
/ˈbɪljən/
/ˈbɪ(l)jən/ (Australia, colloquial)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *dwís Proto-Italic *dwis Old Latin duis Latin bisder. French bi- Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sm̥- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂ Proto-Indo-European *smih₂ Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes- Proto-Indo-European *-lom Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéslom ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂ Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéslih₂ Proto-Indo-European *smih₂ǵʰéslih₂ Proto-Italic *smīɣeslī Latin mīlle Italian mille Proto-Indo-European *-ōder. Proto-Indo-European *-Hōder.? Latin -ōnem Italian -one Italian milionebor. Old French million Middle French million French millionbf. French -illion French billionbor. English billion From French billion, equivalent to bi- (“two”) + -illion.

Meanings

(US, qualifier:modern British & Australian; short scale; modern British & Australian; short scale) Either of two large amounts: ▸ a thousand million (logic: 1,000 × 1,000²): 1 followed by nine zeros, 10⁹.
- Plaintiff States also receive billions of dollars in funds every year directly from Treasury through BFS under federal grant programs. 2025 February 8, “COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF”, in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, page 2:
- At the last assessment it [the national debt] amounts to seven billion pounds (£7,000,000,000). 1921 January 24, “National Finances”, in Devon and Exeter Gazette, page 5:
- However, despite the prospect of HS2 being curtailed and the revelation that the programme is late and billions over budget, for now, at least, work on the scheme appears to be business as usual 2019 October, Dan Harvey, “HS2 costs rise as schedule slips”, in Modern Railways, page 9:
- In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result. 2013 May 25, “No hiding place”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8837, page 74:
- Micron said in a statement that it would bring extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology to Japan, becoming the first semiconductor company to do so, and expected to invest up to 500 billion yen ($3.6 billion) with support from the Japanese government. 2023 May 18, Reuters, “Chipmakers look to Japan as worries about China grow”, in CNN Business:
- The ChatGPT service which serves as Web front-end to GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 was the fastest-growing service in history to break the 100 million user milestone in January and had 1 billion visits by February 2023. 2023 October 30, Herbold et al., “A large-scale comparison of human-written versus ChatGPT-generated essays” (18617), in Scientific Reports, volume 13, page 1:
(dated, qualifier:British & Australian; long scale; British & Australian; long scale) Either of two large amounts: ▸ A million million (logic: 1,000,000²): a 1 followed by twelve zeros (10¹²); a thousand milliard.
- n = 1,000,000,000,000, that is, = a billion, or the square of a million 1778, Francis Maseres, “A Method of Finding, by the Help of Sir Isaac Newton's Binomial Theorem, a Near Value of the very Slowly Converging Infinite Series …”, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, volume lxviii, number xli:
- There is a bill to be picked up for cleaning the former Soviet countries of £1 billion. By that I mean a British billion, because when I was little I was told that a billion was a million million and then the Americans said that it was a thousand million. Well, I am talking about a million million pounds worth of clean-up to be done. 2000 November 8, Stephen Ladyman, “[Speech to the House of Commons]”, in Hansard:
(colloquial, excessive) An unspecified very large number.
- There were billions of people at the concert.
- Near-synonyms: gazillion; see also Thesaurus:zillion

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
billions	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Translations (185)

ha biliyan (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hu milliárd (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · so bilyan (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ky чоку (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · to piliona (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sn bhiriyoni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tk milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · xh ibhiliyoni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sa महापद्म (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · ur ارب (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · niu piliona (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · km រយកោដិ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · my ဘီလီယံ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · be мілья́рд (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fo milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · nb milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ca miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · lad milyarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · oc miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hy միլիառ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · cs miliarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pl bilion ((plural) a very large number) · nv binyóón (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sk bilión (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · lb Milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hu ezermillió (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · kk миллиард (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · el τρισεκατομμύριο (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · sq miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · crh milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · cy biliwn (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pl bilion (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · mr अब्ज (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · eu miliar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ne अर्बुद (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · nn milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · jv ꦒꦸꦭ꧀ꦩ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tg миллиард (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · yi מיליאַרד (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · cmn 十億 /十亿 (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mnc ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᠪᡠᠨᠠᡳ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pt trilhão (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · br miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · es mil millones (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · frr Miljārd (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · da milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · de Billion (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · de Milliarde (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mk милија́рда (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · km ពាន់លាន (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · he מִילְיַארְד (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr mille milliards (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ar مِلْيَار (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · scn miliardu (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · nan-hbl 十億 /十亿 (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ia milliardo (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ml നൂറ് കോടി (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · zu ibhiliyoni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · kmr milyar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr milliards ((plural) a very large number) · fi miljardi ((plural) a very large number) · ms bilion (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · eo duiliono (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · sv miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ml ബില്ല്യൺ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · nl biljoen (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · mt biljun (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · rm milliarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ml അറബ് (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · gl mil millóns (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · uz milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ur مِلْیُن (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · fy miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sl milijarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ca mil milions (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sv biljon (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · ta நூறுகோடி (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pt bilhão (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · qu lluna (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · scn triliuni (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · rm milliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ja 兆 (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · id miliar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tr milyar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tl sanggatos (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ru триллио́н (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · fa میلیارد (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · haw piliona (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sk miliarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ms ribu juta (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ceb bilyon (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · es billón (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · tt миллиард (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mi piriona (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · cmn 萬億 /万亿 (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · io miliardo (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · yue 十億 /十亿 (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fj bilioni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hi अर्बुद (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pt bilião ((plural) a very large number) · cmn 兆 (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · sw bilioni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hy երկիլիոն (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · lo ພັນລ້ານ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ro miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · lv miljards (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tl libong-angaw (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · gd billean (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ug مىليارد (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ro bilion (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · ka მილიარდი (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pl miliard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sh milijarda (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · lo ຕື້ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pt mil milhões (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ko 조 (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · fi biljoona (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · eu mila milioi (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mt miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ja 十億 (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ru биллио́н (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · bn বিলিয়ন (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · uk мілья́рд (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ca mil milió (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · az milyard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hy հազար միլիոն (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ru миллиа́рд (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sa अब्ज (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · pt bilião (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · su milyar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · la milliardum (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · nl miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · is milljarður (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hy միլիարդ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr billion (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · vi một tỉ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr millions ((plural) a very large number) · eo miliardo (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fo billión (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · fa بیلیون (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · es billón (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · lt milijardas (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ny biliyoni (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fa تریلیون (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · tr trilyon (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · sm piliona (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · xal тербум (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · th พันล้าน (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · frs miljâard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ceb wakat (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · da billion (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · tl bilyon (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · vi tỉ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ml ശതകോടി (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ca bilió (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · ms miliar (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · it miliardo (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ne अरब१ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · eu bilioi (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · ko 십억 (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ga billiún (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mi piriona (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sa अर्बुद (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sq miliardë (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fi miljardi (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · it bilione (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · af miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hi अरब (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ky миллиард (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · hi अब्ज (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · tl gatos (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · my ပကောဋိ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · bg милиа́рд (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · fr billion (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · cs bilión (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · vi tỷ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · esu tiissitsaaq miilicaaq (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · sh милијарда (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · cu тьма тьмъ (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · mnc ᠰᠠᠵᠠ (a million million; 1,000,000,000,000 — see also trillion) · mn тэрбум (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · et miljard (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · ms seribu juta (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard) · el δισεκατομμύριο (a thousand million (1,000,000,000); a milliard)

wikidata: Q12535449 · wikidata: Q862978 · wikidata: Q12535449 · wikidata: Q16021

billion en · NUM

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Translations (185)