million

noun

mil·​lion ˈmi(l)-yən 

plural millions or million

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times 1,000 see Table of Numbers

2

: a very large number

millions of cars on the road

3

: the mass of common people

—used with the

million adjective

millionfold

ˈmi(l)-yən-ˌfōld 

adverb or adjective

millionth

ˈmi(l)-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun

Synonyms of million

• people
• populace
• public
• crowd
• mass

Examples of million in a Sentence

intellectuals sneered that television was a medium clearly aimed at the millions

Recent Examples on the Web

Outlets like Zeteo, The Bulwark, Crooked Media, and More Perfect Union have added millions of readers, listeners, and YouTube subscribers, even as cable news viewership continues to slide. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026

The stem cell industry sees the FDA’s tentative embrace of peptides as its chance to get a foot in the door — and bring stem cells from the grey market to millions of Americans. — Margaret Manto, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026

This is, of course, not a fair fight, since even at its most successful Hollywood products are viewed in the millions while social-media giants measure results in the billions. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

That would be a strong result had Amazon MGM Studios not shelled out $40 million to buy the film and tens of millions more to market it. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English milioun, from Middle French milion, from Old Italian milione, augmentative of mille thousand, from Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing million

• look/feel like a million dollars/bucks
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• one in a million
• thanks a bunch/lot/million
• thanks a million

Rhymes for million

• billion
• pillion
• trillion
• castilian
• civilian
• cotillion
• pavilion
• postilion
• quadrillion
• reptilian
• vermilion
• vermillion

Kids Definition

million

noun

mil·​lion ˈmil-yən 

plural millions or million

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times 1,000 see number

2

: a very great number

millions of mosquitoes

million adjective

millionth

-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun