million

[ mil-yuhn ]

noun

, plural mil·lions, (as after a numeral) mil·lion.

1. a cardinal number, a thousand times one thousand.
2. a symbol for this number, as 1,000,000 or M̅.
3. millions, a number between 1,000,000 and 999,999,999, as in referring to an amount of money:

   His fortune was in the millions of dollars.

4. the amount of a thousand thousand units of money, as dollars, pounds, or euros:

   The three Dutch paintings fetched a million.

5. a very great number of times:

   Thanks a million.

6. the million(s), the mass of the common people; the multitude:

   poetry for the millions.

adjective

1. amounting to one million in number.
2. amounting to a very great number:

   a million things to do.

million

/ ˈmɪljən /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the product of 1000 multiplied by 1000 See also number
2. a numeral, 1 000 000, 10 ⁶, M, etc, representing this number
3. informal.
   often plural an extremely large but unspecified number, quantity, or amount

   I have millions of things to do

determiner

1. preceded bya or by a numeral
   1. amounting to a million

      a million light years away

   2. ( as pronoun )

      I can see a million under the microscope

2. gone a million informal.
   done for; sunk

Other Words From

• multi·million noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of million¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English milioun, from Middle French, from Old Italian millione ( Italian milione ), equivalent to mille “thousand” (from Latin mīlle ) + -one, augmentative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of million¹

C17: via Old French from early Italian millione, from mille thousand, from Latin

Idioms and Phrases

see feel like oneself (a million dollars) ; look like a million dollars ; one in a million .

Example Sentences

Mexican citizens represent the largest group of immigrants in the United States illegally, accounting for about 37% of the estimated 11 million in the country without documentation, according to the Pew Research Center.

From Los Angeles Times

Between 100 million and 400 million dengue infections occur annually, the World Health Organization estimates.

From Science Magazine

There are about five million leasehold properties in England and Wales, with some owners saying they have experienced unjustifiably high ground rents or service charges, and issues with carrying out repairs.

From BBC

Scientists are intensifying efforts to reduce inflammation-causing cells in the intestines and improve treatment options for the nearly 7 million people affected worldwide.

From Science Daily

Trump is headed back to the White House, and more than 74 million Americans who voted for Kamala Harris are wondering how to cope.

From Salon

Related Words

• bank
• lot
• much
• sum
• thousand
• ton
• total
• trillion