billion Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros; in the United Kingdom the usage followed in the United States is frequently seen
    one million million; 1000000000000.
  2. noun a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole)
    million; jillion; trillion; gazillion; zillion.
    • there were millions of flies
  3. noun the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros
    one thousand million; 1000000000.
  4. adjective satellite denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units in the United States
  5. adjective satellite denoting a quantity consisting of one million million items or units in Great Britain

WordNet

Bil"lion noun
Etymology
F. billion, arbitrarily formed fr. L. bis twice, in imitation of million a million. See Million.
Definitions
  1. According to the French and American method of numeration, a thousand millions, or 1,000,000,000; according to the English method, a million millions, or 1,000,000,000,000. See Numeration.

Webster 1913