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

When that is divided across millions of people, the amount per person will depend on how many claims are filed. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026

Radioactive clouds spread, causing panic as far away as Germany and Britain; millions of litres of milk were dumped; livestock was destroyed or banned from sale. —The Week Uk, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026

This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael's estate and companies. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026

Miami-Dade County commissioners are fond of heaping praise on the Miami Center for Mental Health and Rehabilitation, calling it a groundbreaking facility that will save lives and likely save the county millions of dollars. —Jim Defede, CBS News, 26 Apr. 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