quadrillion
noun
qua·dril·lion
kwä-ˈdril-yən 
US
: a number equal to 1 followed by 15 zeros see Table of Numbers
quadrillion
adjective
Examples of quadrillion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The World’s Earliest Story Around 13.77 billion years ago, our entire visible universe—every atom, every speck of dust, every star, and every galaxy—was crammed into a volume no bigger than a peach with a temperature of over a quadrillion degrees.
—
Popular Mechanics, 19 July 2023
In the extremely distant past, around 13.77 billion years ago, our universe was the size of a peach and had a temperature of over a quadrillion degrees.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2023
The plastic used could have produced seven quadrillion Lego blocks, 650 trillion plastic water bottles or more fidget spinners than a billion octopuses could spin in a dozen lifetimes.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 20 July 2017
Magnetars — of which only about 30 are known — are neutron stars with magnetic fields a thousand times stronger still, so about a quadrillion times Earth’s magnetic field strength.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019
In 2021, the United States consumed 97.3 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) of energy, with the transportation sector using 26.9 quads, 90 percent of it from petroleum.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Nov. 2022
By some estimates, hydrates could store more than 10 quadrillion cubic feet of harvestable methane — enough to fulfill the present gas needs of the entire United States for the next 400 years.
—Lisa Raffensperger, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2014
Sounds like a pittance compared to that $10,000 quadrillion.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2023
In terms of sheer mass, that works out to around a quadrillion, or thousand trillion, tons of diamond.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2018
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Popular Mechanics, 19 July 2023
In the extremely distant past, around 13.77 billion years ago, our universe was the size of a peach and had a temperature of over a quadrillion degrees.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2023
The plastic used could have produced seven quadrillion Lego blocks, 650 trillion plastic water bottles or more fidget spinners than a billion octopuses could spin in a dozen lifetimes.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 20 July 2017
Magnetars — of which only about 30 are known — are neutron stars with magnetic fields a thousand times stronger still, so about a quadrillion times Earth’s magnetic field strength.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019
In 2021, the United States consumed 97.3 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) of energy, with the transportation sector using 26.9 quads, 90 percent of it from petroleum.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Nov. 2022
By some estimates, hydrates could store more than 10 quadrillion cubic feet of harvestable methane — enough to fulfill the present gas needs of the entire United States for the next 400 years.
—Lisa Raffensperger, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2014
Sounds like a pittance compared to that $10,000 quadrillion.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2023
In terms of sheer mass, that works out to around a quadrillion, or thousand trillion, tons of diamond.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2018
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quadrillion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French, from Middle French, from quadri- + -illion (as in million)
First Known Use
circa 1690, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near quadrillion
Cite this Entry
“Quadrillion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadrillion. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
quadrillion
noun
qua·dril·lion
kwä-ˈdril-yən
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