Million: meaning, definitions and examples

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million

[ˈmɪljən ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

amount of money

A million is a very large number consisting of one followed by six zeros. It is often used to describe a significant amount of money.

Synonyms

a thousand thousand, gazillion, mega.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
million	The word 'million' is the same as the first entry and should not be listed twice.
a thousand thousand	This phrase is a more formal or old-fashioned way to say 'million'. It's rarely used in everyday conversation but may appear in literature or formal writing. One thousand thousand dollars were donated to the charity. The project received a thousand thousand votes of approval.
mega	Often used as a prefix to denote something very large or important. It can be used in both technical and casual contexts. The mega-mall is opening next week. A megabyte is a unit of digital information.
gazillion	Typically used in informal contexts to exaggerate or imply an extremely large, non-specific number. It has a playful and hyperbolic tone. I've told you a gazillion times to clean your room. There are a gazillion stars in the sky.

Examples of usage

The lottery winner received a million dollars in prize money.
The company made a profit of over a million last year.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

population

A million can also refer to a population of one million people or things.

Synonyms

a thousand thousand, gazillion, mega.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
million	See the first entry for 'million'.
a thousand thousand	This phrase is more literary or poetic and seldom used in modern conversation. It might be encountered in older texts or used for stylistic purposes. In the land of a thousand thousand stars, the night seemed eternal. Her wealth was that of a thousand thousand gold coins.
mega	This prefix is used in informal contexts or when referring to something very large or great, often in the context of digital data or emphasizing the magnitude of something. They are launching a mega project next year. She has a mega collection of vintage comics.
gazillion	This word is informal and often used in exaggeration or humor to imply a very large, but indefinite, number. I have told you a gazillion times to clean your room. There were gazillions of stars in the sky last night.

Examples of usage

The city has a population of over a million residents.
The zoo welcomed its one millionth visitor of the year.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

general large quantity

In a more general sense, a million can be used to describe a large quantity of something.

Synonyms

a thousand thousand, gazillion, mega.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
million	This is a standard term used in formal and informal settings to refer to the number 1,000,000. She won a million dollars in the lottery The city has a population of over one million people
a thousand thousand	This is an alternative way to say 'million' but is not commonly used in everyday language. It might be found in more technical or educational texts. One million is a thousand thousand
mega	A prefix often used in technological contexts to denote a factor of one million (like megabyte). It can also informally mean 'very large' or 'huge'. The new computer has a capacity of 256 megabytes That event was mega successful!
gazillion	An informal, humorous way to refer to an extremely large, unspecified number. Not to be used in formal writings. I've told you a gazillion times to clean your room! There are a gazillion apps available on the store

Examples of usage

There must be a million reasons why he didn't come.
I've told you a million times to be careful!

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word comes from the Italian word 'milione', which means 'a thousand thousands'.
Its first recorded use in English dates back to the late 14th century.

Mathematics

A million can be expressed as 10^6, which means it's 1 followed by six zeros.
In decimals, a million is represented as 1.0 million, used primarily in finance and data analysis.

Cultural Significance

In many cultures, having a million of something, like dollars, is often seen as a major milestone of wealth and success.
The phrase 'a million memories' is often used to denote cherished experiences in life.

Science

In biology, a million cells is a common measurement used in cell cultures and scientific experiments.
In astronomy, a million light-years is a way of measuring vast distances between galaxies!

Pop Culture

Many songs or movies reference becoming a millionaire as a way to depict dreams of wealth and happiness, like in the song 'If I Had a Million Dollars'.
Various game shows often feature challenges or prizes involving a million dollars, emphasizing its allure.

Translations

Translations of the word "million" in other languages:

🇵🇹 milhão

🇮🇳 मिलियन

🇩🇪 Million

🇮🇩 juta

🇺🇦 мільйон

🇵🇱 milion

🇯🇵 百万 (ひゃくまん)

🇫🇷 million

🇪🇸 millón

🇹🇷 milyon

🇰🇷 백만 (baekman)

🇸🇦 مليون

🇨🇿 milion

🇸🇰 milión

🇨🇳 百万 (bǎiwàn)

🇸🇮 milijon

🇮🇸 milljón

🇰🇿 миллион

🇬🇪 მილიონი

🇦🇿 milyon

🇲🇽 millón

Word Frequency Rank

With position #408, this word is vital for basic English fluency. It appears very frequently in everyday language and should be among the first words you learn and actively use.

...
405 growth
406 plan
407 except
408 million
409 students
410 energy
411 below
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