million

noun

mil·​lion ˈmi(l)-yən 

plural millions or million

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times 1,000 see Table of Numbers

2

: a very large number

millions of cars on the road

3

: the mass of common people

—used with the

million adjective

millionfold

ˈmi(l)-yən-ˌfōld 

adverb or adjective

millionth

ˈmi(l)-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun

Synonyms of million

• people
• populace
• public
• crowd
• mass

Examples of million in a Sentence

intellectuals sneered that television was a medium clearly aimed at the millions

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of Nora’s weepies were festivals of suffering, cherished by millions. —Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026

Astrologer Magi Helena's Your Daily Astrology column is syndicated to hundreds of newspapers worldwide, with a daily readership in the millions. —Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 14 Mar. 2026

Becerra was clearly referring to Mahan, who recently entered the race and has received millions of dollars of support from Silicon Valley leaders. —Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026

The deeper story that must be addressed though, is of a company run for a handful of owners at the expense of the millions of customers, employees, suppliers, and communities who made its success possible. —Paul Polman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English milioun, from Middle French milion, from Old Italian milione, augmentative of mille thousand, from Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing million

• look/feel like a million dollars/bucks
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• one in a million
• thanks a bunch/lot/million
• thanks a million

Rhymes for million

• billion
• pillion
• trillion
• castilian
• civilian
• cotillion
• pavilion
• postilion
• quadrillion
• reptilian
• vermilion
• vermillion

Kids Definition

million

noun

mil·​lion ˈmil-yən 

plural millions or million

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times 1,000 see number

2

: a very great number

millions of mosquitoes

million adjective

millionth

-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun