thousand

noun

thou·​sand ˈthau̇-zᵊn(d) How to pronounce thousand (audio)
plural thousands or thousand
1
: a number equal to 10 times 100 see Table of Numbers
2
: a very large number
thousands of ants
thousand adjective
thousandfold
ˈthau̇-zᵊn(d)-ˌfōld How to pronounce thousand (audio)
adjective or adverb
thousandth
ˈthau̇-zᵊn(t)th How to pronounce thousand (audio)
adjective or noun

Examples of thousand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Federal prosecutors accuse Maduro and Flores of conspiring with drug cartels to facilitate the flow of thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 22 July 2026 Can any human being be a true friend to thousands or even millions of people at once? — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 As thousands of professors at in the University of California system say the students entering their classrooms are increasingly under-prepared for university-level math, the university’s timely graduation rates just hit all-time highs. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026 Animal viruses jump to humans in the wild hundreds of thousands of times a year, usually producing negligible infections, occasionally sparking an outbreak. — CNN Money, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thousand

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English thūsend; akin to Old High German dūsunt thousand, Lithuanian tūkstantis, and probably to Sanskrit tavas strong, Latin tumēre to swell — more at thumb entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thousand was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing thousand

Browse Nearby Words

Thoulet solution
thousand
thousandfold
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thousand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thousand. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

thousand

noun
thou·​sand ˈthau̇z-ᵊn(d) How to pronounce thousand (audio)
plural thousands or thousand
1
: a number equal to 10 times 100 see number
2
: a very large number
thousands of ants
thousand adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on thousand

Nglish: Translation of thousand for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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