billionaire

noun

bil·​lion·​aire ˌbi(l)-yə-ˈner How to pronounce billionaire (audio)
ˈbi(l)-yə-ˌner
Synonyms of billionairenext
: one whose wealth is estimated at a billion or more dollars, pounds, or other monetary units

Examples of billionaire 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.
Both companies are known to have high-profile clients, including billionaires and celebrities. Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The group's donors include tech billionaire Chris Larsen and several renewable energy companies. Joe Walsh, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 An unlikely working relationship develops between an overzealous tech billionaire and a reluctant writer who realizes the only way to make artificial intelligence any better is to fix the broken real world it’s trained on. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 Miami billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist Ken Griffin announced a $5 million gift Thursday to launch the National Math Talent Fund, an effort to help financially stressed math students across the country get their degrees. Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for billionaire

Word History

Etymology

billion + -aire (as in millionaire)

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of billionaire was in 1841

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Billionaire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billionaire. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

billionaire

noun
bil·​lion·​aire ˌbil-yə-ˈna(ə)r How to pronounce billionaire (audio)
-ˈne(ə)r;
ˈbil-yə-ˌna(ə)r
-ˌne(ə)r
: one whose wealth is a billion dollars or more

More from Merriam-Webster on billionaire

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!