Skip to content

billion

/bˈɪljʌn/noun, adjective2 syllables

Billion means: a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole).

Synonyms for billion11

noun, as in a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole)

million, trillion, zillion, jillion, gazillion, bazillion

noun, as in the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros; in the United Kingdom the usage followed in the United States is frequently seen

one million million, 1000000000000

noun, as in the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros

one thousand million, 1000000000

adjective, as in denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units in the United States

cardinal

adjective, as in denoting a quantity consisting of one million million items or units in Great Britain

cardinal

What does billion mean?5

noun

1

a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole)“there were millions of flies”

2

the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros; in the United Kingdom the usage followed in the United States is frequently seen

3

the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros

adjective

1

denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units in the United States

2

denoting a quantity consisting of one million million items or units in Great Britain

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with billion?5

two syllables

milliontrillion
Show 40 near rhymes
littlewomenbusinesssystemchildrengivensingleminutespositionmiddleinterestofficialenglanddecisionwrittensimplesystemslistenadditionconditionsminuteincomeimageopinionbiggestcivilchristmascommissioncompetitionchristianequipmentmissionconditiondivisiondistancereligiousvillageeditionprisonspirit

Billion in a sentence

  • Fourteen billion years ago, the universe was a compressed ball of fire.carlosalberto
  • If you don't have a billion dollars, you aren't capable of being that evil.shekitten
  • Nearly one billion people around the globe lack access to clean, safe water.Source_VOA
  • Zero, ten, one hundred, one thousand, one million, one billion.unknown
  • The company suffered a loss of one billion yen last year.CK
  • A generous man contributed some two billion yen to charity.Dejo
  • A hundred billion castaways are looking for a home.CM
  • There are almost seven billion people in the world.sacredceltic

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of billion

as a noun

plural
billions