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

Created by Nikki Igol and Steven Chaiken, who worked together at the fashion magazine V in the early two-thousands, the place is stocked with vintage issues of Paper, Vogue, and more. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Chip designers and manufacturers try to squeeze as much computing power as possible onto each individual chip, fabricated on silicon wafers in a manufacturing process that relies on highly specialized equipment and requires thousands of intricate steps. —Jared Perlo, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026

Choose three- and eight-piece sets to fit any need and make an easy swap for reusable containers, which can also save thousands of plastic bags. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026

After gaining access, the attackers used malware to wipe data on thousands of computers at oil giant Saudi Aramco, disrupting business operations. —William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026

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