thousand

noun

thou·​sand ˈthau̇-zᵊn(d) 

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 

adjective or adverb

thousandth

ˈthau̇-zᵊn(t)th 

adjective or noun

Examples of thousand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The foundation has helped thousands and thousands of kids in the region through refurbishing basketball courts, hosting basketball clinics and promoting academic enrichment. —Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Two-lane roads dominate the road infrastructure as thousands drive in and out on their daily commutes. —March 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026

Iran has responded by launching thousands of projectiles at cities across neighboring Arab states, shattering the stability the region had long. —Becky Anderson, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026

The physical sensation of moving together, of being carried along in the same direction as thousands of strangers, turned background noise into shared experience. —Yook Jihun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026

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

Phrases Containing thousand

• a picture is worth a thousand words
• bat a thousand
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• thousand-legger

Kids Definition

thousand

noun

thou·​sand ˈthau̇z-ᵊn(d) 

plural thousands or thousand

1

: a number equal to 10 times 100 see number

2

: a very large number

thousands of ants

thousand adjective