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

Rather, the hackers Smart and colleagues traced to an IP address in this city have been using the wily method his team uncovered to pilfer millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency. —Jessica Klein, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026

The Florida Justice Association — the trial lawyer lobby — spent millions to stop the reforms Maxwell now blames for failing consumers. —David Wilson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026

The conflict in Iran has caused oil prices in Haiti to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals. —ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026

Despite a tenuous ceasefire, little has changed in the Strait of Hormuz, a bottle neck where millions of barrels of oil typically pass daily. —Arkansas Online, 11 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