Billion
noun
A number equivalent to a thousand million (1,000,000,000) or, in the UK, a million million (1,000,000,000,000).
The company just hit its first one billion in sales
Often appears as...
- one billion
- billion dollars
adjective
Quantifying something to the amount of a billion.
A billion dollar company
Often appears as...
- billion dollar
- billion people
noun
A number equivalent to a thousand million (1,000,000,000) or, in the UK, a million million (1,000,000,000,000).
The company just hit its first one billion in sales
Often appears as...
- one billion
- billion dollars
adjective
Quantifying something to the amount of a billion.
A billion dollar company
Often appears as...
- billion dollar
- billion people
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Numerical Scale
Understand that 'billion' refers to an extremely large number, used in contexts where scale matters.
The earth has over seven billion people.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Difference
Know that 'billion' can mean 'trillion' in older UK English. Always use the modern definition unless in a historical context.
He was reading about the British government's budget in the early 20th century being reported in billions (meaning trillions).
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasis on Quantity
Use 'billion' to emphasize a vast quantity, often implying the number is almost unimaginable.
There are billions of stars in our galaxy.
Pro Tip 1/3Numerical Scale
Understand that 'billion' refers to an extremely large number, used in contexts where scale matters.
The earth has over seven billion people.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Difference
Know that 'billion' can mean 'trillion' in older UK English. Always use the modern definition unless in a historical context.
He was reading about the British government's budget in the early 20th century being reported in billions (meaning trillions).
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasis on Quantity
Use 'billion' to emphasize a vast quantity, often implying the number is almost unimaginable.
There are billions of stars in our galaxy.
Pro Tip 1/3Numerical Scale
Understand that 'billion' refers to an extremely large number, used in contexts where scale matters.
The earth has over seven billion people.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Difference
Know that 'billion' can mean 'trillion' in older UK English. Always use the modern definition unless in a historical context.
He was reading about the British government's budget in the early 20th century being reported in billions (meaning trillions).
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasis on Quantity
Use 'billion' to emphasize a vast quantity, often implying the number is almost unimaginable.
There are billions of stars in our galaxy.
Never forget "Billion"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
The loathsome, lethal...
two to three times its weight in blood. Turns out we don't really like that too much. In fact, humans hate mosquitos so much that we spend billions of dollars worldwide to keep them away from us -- from citronella candles to bug sprays to heavy-duty agricultural pesticides. But it's not just that mosquitos are annoying, they're also deadly.
Video examples
How to control someone...
Have you had this before? I need you to stick out your arm for science, roll up your sleeve a bit, So what I'm going to do, I'm putting electrodes on your arm, and you're probably wondering, I just said I'm going to record from your brain, what am I doing with your arm? Well, you have about 80 billion neurons inside your brain right now.
Video examples
Questions No One Knows...
anything that becomes a threat. Or maybe they're not that intelligent, or perhaps the evolution of an intelligence capable of creating sophisticated technology is far rarer than we've assumed. After all, it's only happened once on Earth in four billion years.
Video examples
Economics of climate...
why we need to say the following we need to stop applauding our politicians for spending hundreds of billions of dollars on ineffective green policies instead what we do need to do is to spend and encourage them to dramatically ramp up
Video examples
Is there a disease that...
to become one of the world's most successful parasites. It's not just our willingness to let cats on our dining room tables or in our beds. Raising livestock and building cities which attract rodents has provided billions of new hosts,
Video examples
Light seconds, light...
Through our understanding of this relationship between brightness and decline rate, we can use these supernovae to probe distances up to several billions of light years away. But why is it important to see such distant objects anyway?
Video examples
Swarm Of Locusts DEVOUR...
It's rarely seen on this scale and it won't last long. Once the food has gone, the steady roar of a billion beating locust wings will once again be replaced by nothing more than the sound of the desert wind.
Video examples
The life cycle of a...
Consider the classic white t-shirt. Annually, we sell and buy two billion t-shirts globally, making it one of the most common garments in the world. But how and where is the average t-shirt made,
Video examples
How blood pressure works...
and at least 2.5 billion times during an average lifetime. That may sound like an insurmountable amount of pressure, but don't worry, your arteries are well suited for the challenge.
Video examples
7 Billion: Are You...
In a world of 7 billion people who is most typical?
Video examples
The loathsome, lethal...
two to three times its weight in blood. Turns out we don't really like that too much. In fact, humans hate mosquitos so much that we spend billions of dollars worldwide to keep them away from us -- from citronella candles to bug sprays to heavy-duty agricultural pesticides. But it's not just that mosquitos are annoying, they're also deadly.
Video examples
How to control someone...
Have you had this before? I need you to stick out your arm for science, roll up your sleeve a bit, So what I'm going to do, I'm putting electrodes on your arm, and you're probably wondering, I just said I'm going to record from your brain, what am I doing with your arm? Well, you have about 80 billion neurons inside your brain right now.
Video examples
Questions No One Knows...
anything that becomes a threat. Or maybe they're not that intelligent, or perhaps the evolution of an intelligence capable of creating sophisticated technology is far rarer than we've assumed. After all, it's only happened once on Earth in four billion years.
Video examples
Economics of climate...
why we need to say the following we need to stop applauding our politicians for spending hundreds of billions of dollars on ineffective green policies instead what we do need to do is to spend and encourage them to dramatically ramp up
Video examples
Is there a disease that...
to become one of the world's most successful parasites. It's not just our willingness to let cats on our dining room tables or in our beds. Raising livestock and building cities which attract rodents has provided billions of new hosts,
Video examples
Light seconds, light...
Through our understanding of this relationship between brightness and decline rate, we can use these supernovae to probe distances up to several billions of light years away. But why is it important to see such distant objects anyway?
Video examples
Swarm Of Locusts DEVOUR...
It's rarely seen on this scale and it won't last long. Once the food has gone, the steady roar of a billion beating locust wings will once again be replaced by nothing more than the sound of the desert wind.
Video examples
The life cycle of a...
Consider the classic white t-shirt. Annually, we sell and buy two billion t-shirts globally, making it one of the most common garments in the world. But how and where is the average t-shirt made,
Video examples
How blood pressure works...
and at least 2.5 billion times during an average lifetime. That may sound like an insurmountable amount of pressure, but don't worry, your arteries are well suited for the challenge.
Video examples
7 Billion: Are You...
In a world of 7 billion people who is most typical?
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Harvey Fierstein
American Actor
When I write stuff and I help cast it, I turn away good people all the time. I may turn them down because this one's too tall and that one doesn't have a high enough voice or this one looks to old to match up with that one - there's a billion reasons not to hire somebody.
Quote examples
Jeanne Shaheen
American Politician
We know that over a billion people live in poverty around the world, and most of them are women and girls. If we can improve their lives, that has a positive effect on their communities, on their families, on their countries.
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
When BP was not moving fast enough on claims, we told BP to set aside $20 billion in a fund - managed by an independent third party - to help all those whose lives have been turned upside down by the spill.
Quote examples
E. O. Wilson
American Scientist
It's obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life - for 8 billion or more people - without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.
Quote examples
Ksenia Sobchak
Russian Politician
Putin has all the power under his control, all the security forces, all the billions of dollars he needs. It's mad to pretend otherwise.
Quote examples
James Wolfensohn
Australian Businessman
We have three billion people, half the world's population today, living on less than two dollars a day.
Quote examples
Orlando Bloom
English Actor
The world produces enough food for everyone. Why are one billion people going hungry?
Quote examples
John C. Mather
American Scientist
In 100 billion years, the universe will be a very strange place.
Quote examples
Nicholas Kristof
American Journalist
The world spends $40 billion a year on pet food.
Quote examples
Thomas Peterffy
Hungarian Businessman
I paid $1.9 billion in taxes in my lifetime.
Quote examples
Harvey Fierstein
American Actor
When I write stuff and I help cast it, I turn away good people all the time. I may turn them down because this one's too tall and that one doesn't have a high enough voice or this one looks to old to match up with that one - there's a billion reasons not to hire somebody.
Quote examples
Jeanne Shaheen
American Politician
We know that over a billion people live in poverty around the world, and most of them are women and girls. If we can improve their lives, that has a positive effect on their communities, on their families, on their countries.
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
When BP was not moving fast enough on claims, we told BP to set aside $20 billion in a fund - managed by an independent third party - to help all those whose lives have been turned upside down by the spill.
Quote examples
E. O. Wilson
American Scientist
It's obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life - for 8 billion or more people - without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.
Quote examples
Ksenia Sobchak
Russian Politician
Putin has all the power under his control, all the security forces, all the billions of dollars he needs. It's mad to pretend otherwise.
Quote examples
James Wolfensohn
Australian Businessman
We have three billion people, half the world's population today, living on less than two dollars a day.
Quote examples
Orlando Bloom
English Actor
The world produces enough food for everyone. Why are one billion people going hungry?
Quote examples
John C. Mather
American Scientist
In 100 billion years, the universe will be a very strange place.
Quote examples
Nicholas Kristof
American Journalist
The world spends $40 billion a year on pet food.
Quote examples
Thomas Peterffy
Hungarian Businessman
I paid $1.9 billion in taxes in my lifetime.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension