trillion

noun

tril·​lion ˈtri(l)-yən 

1

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

2

: an indeterminately large number

a trillion mosquitoes out tonight

trillion adjective

trillionth

ˈtri(l)-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun

Examples of trillion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are countless other stories to tell about the people who [survived], and not all of them lived in bunkers that looked like the Grove and had 10 years of planning and trillions of dollars behind them. —Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026

And star-formation will continue for trillions of years, providing new lights in the sky and new chances for cataclysms like supernovae, kilonovae, and tidal disruption events. —Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026

That may be welcome news to the private equity and credit industries, which have long sought access to the trillions of dollars invested in workplace retirement plans. —Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026

Now, Apple’s revenues are counted in the hundreds of billions and its market value in the trillions. —Indrani Sen, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from tri- + -illion (as in million)

First Known Use

1745, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trillion

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

Kids Definition

trillion

noun

tril·​lion ˈtril-yən 

1

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

2

: a very large number

a trillion mosquitoes out tonight

trillion adjective

trillionth

-yən(t)th 

adjective

trillionth noun