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

Aachen and Spruce Meadows are both on grass, in vast arenas with tens of thousands of spectators, which benefits experienced horses with a big pair of lungs and a calm demeanor. —Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Humans have been hooked on honey for thousands of years. —Literary Hub, 27 May 2026

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 May 2026

Welding, construction, manufacturing, HVAC and electrical industries are facing an aging workforce and a shrinking pipeline of talent, leaving thousands of essential roles unfilled. —Rose Van Alstine, Fortune, 26 May 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