trillion

Pronunciation

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Determiner

(number) (ordinal trillionth)

1. (US, modern British and Australian, short scale) Trillion refers to the number 1,000,000,000,000 (10¹²)

   There are about one trillion (10¹²) bacteria on the surface of the human body.

2. (older British and Australian, long scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (10¹⁸).

   There are about one trillion (10¹⁸) insects on Earth.

Noun

Singular trillion

Plural trillions

1. (US, modern British and Australian, short scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000

   In the United States, one million millions is a trillion.

2. (older British and Australian, long scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000,000,000.

   In the long scale, one million millions is a billion. One million billions is a trillion.

   A British trillion used to be one million American trillions, but they are mostly the same now.