num
Uncommon
trillion
TRIHL-yuhn
Trillion (num) means a million million: 1 followed by twelve zeros (10¹²), the standard modern meaning. Example: “The national debt now exceeds a trillion dollars.”
num
1
A million million: 1 followed by twelve zeros (10¹²), the standard modern meaning.
"Data published by the Treasury Department showed that “total public debt outstanding” rose to $34.001 trillion on December 29."
— Hanna Ziady and Tami Luhby, US national debt hits record $34 trillion (2024)
"The national debt now exceeds a trillion dollars."
noun
1
An extremely large, often unspecified, number.
"There are a trillion reasons why that plan won't work."
"I have a trillion things to do before the party tonight."
"The little boy asked a trillion questions on the long car journey."
How to use trillion
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA thousand billion — an enormous number, 1 followed by 12 zeros.
UK vs US
Older British usage sometimes defined a trillion as 10¹⁸, but the American 10¹² value is now standard worldwide.
Easily confused with
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like trillion.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- trillions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The national debt now exceeds a _____ dollars.
Etymology
From French tri- ("three") plus -illion, following the pattern of million and billion.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for trillion
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for trillion →
Frequently asked questions
What does “trillion” mean?
The word “trillion” means a million million: 1 followed by twelve zeros (10¹²), the standard modern meaning. In plain terms, a thousand billion — an enormous number, 1 followed by 12 zeros.
How do you pronounce “trillion”?
“Trillion” is pronounced TRIHL-yuhn (/ˈtɹɪljən/ in IPA).
How do you use “trillion” in a sentence?
Here is “trillion” used in a sentence: “The national debt now exceeds a trillion dollars.”
What part of speech is “trillion”?
Depending on how it is used, “trillion” can be a num and a noun.
Where does the word “trillion” come from?
The word “trillion” comes from French. From French tri- ("three") plus -illion, following the pattern of million and billion.
Is “trillion” a common word?
“Trillion” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “trillion” have?
“Trillion” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a million million: 1 followed by twelve zeros (10¹²), the standard modern meaning.
How many zeros are in a trillion?
In the standard modern meaning, a trillion is a million million, written as 1 followed by twelve zeros, or 10 to the power of 12. This is the short-scale definition used in the United States, the United Kingdom, and most international contexts today.
What is the difference between a trillion and a billion?
A trillion is one thousand times larger than a billion in the standard modern short-scale system, since a billion is 1 followed by nine zeros while a trillion is 1 followed by twelve zeros. This thousand-fold gap makes the two numbers very different in scale despite sounding similar.
Is 'trillion' ever used loosely to mean just a very large number?
Yes, beyond its precise numerical value, trillion is also used informally to describe an extremely large, often unspecified quantity, similar to how people say 'a million' casually. In this looser sense, the exact figure is not meant literally, only the impression of an enormous amount.
