thousand

noun

thou·​sand ˈthau̇-zᵊn(d) 

plural thousands or thousand

1

: a number equal to 10 times 100 see Table of Numbers

2

: a very large number

thousands of ants

thousand adjective

thousandfold

ˈthau̇-zᵊn(d)-ˌfōld 

adjective or adverb

thousandth

ˈthau̇-zᵊn(t)th 

adjective or noun

Examples of thousand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This causes the PPy and PSS to separate into tiny regions, creating thousands of junctions where electrons and ions interact. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025

The end result is a magnificent snapshot of deep space, created from particles of light that had travelled thousands of years to reach their destination. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2025

The strike, the largest ever for Kaiser unions, began less than a week ago, with the healthcare giant flying in thousands of replacement staff from around the country to fill critical patient care jobs. —Pat Maio, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025

The festival in Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco draws tens of thousands of visitors. —Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English thūsend; akin to Old High German dūsunt thousand, Lithuanian tūkstantis, and probably to Sanskrit tavas strong, Latin tumēre to swell — more at thumb entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing thousand

• a picture is worth a thousand words
• bat a thousand
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• thousand-legger

Kids Definition

thousand

noun

thou·​sand ˈthau̇z-ᵊn(d) 

plural thousands or thousand

1

: a number equal to 10 times 100 see number

2

: a very large number

thousands of ants

thousand adjective