billion

Meanings

1. 1
   num

   Either of two large amounts:

   At the last assessment it [the national debt] amounts to seven billion pounds (£7,000,000,000).

2. 2
   num

   An unspecified very large number.

   Near-synonyms: gazillion; see also Thesaurus:zillion

3. 3
   adj

   denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units in the United States

4. 4
   adj

   denoting a quantity consisting of one million million items or units in Great Britain

5. 5
   noun

   the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros

6. 6
   noun

   the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros

7. 7
   noun

   a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole)

Etymology

From French billion, equivalent to bi- (“two”) + -illion.