billionaire

noun

bil·​lion·​aire ˌbi(l)-yə-ˈner How to pronounce billionaire (audio)
ˈbi(l)-yə-ˌner
: 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.
Even for a billionaire who was in the comparatively low-budget dictionary business less for profit than for fun, the bottom line mattered, and the pressure to make money and cut costs was inescapable. Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025 In doing so, Martin implicated billionaire bankers, major American corporations, and Colombia’s political elite. Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025 His father, Robert Kraft, billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, should have told him that. Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025 Another billionaire, former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, who recently purchased his own rocket company, has been quietly propping up the idea that data centers should be moved off Earth. Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for billionaire

Word History

Etymology

billion + -aire (as in millionaire)

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of billionaire was in 1844

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Billionaire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billionaire. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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