million
- 01 A1 Beginner
num.the number 1,000,000.
num.the cardinal number 1,000,000, equivalent to ten to the sixth power.
Simple“The city has a population of over two million people.”
In context“The charity successfully raised five million dollars during its annual gala, exceeding its original fundraising target by nearly twenty percent.”
Usageremains singular when preceded by a specific number or 'several'.
PitfallThere are three millions people in the city. There are three million people in the city.When used as a specific number before a noun, 'million' stays singular. Use 'millions of' only for general, large amounts.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a very large but unspecified amount of something.
n.an indefinite, extremely large quantity used for emphasis.
Simple“I've told you a million times to clean your room.”
In context“Despite the clear instructions, there were a million things that could go wrong during the live broadcast.”
Usageusually followed by 'of' plus a plural noun.
- 03 A2 Elementary
n.many millions of people or things.
n.a plural noun referring to multiple units of one million, often used to describe large populations.
Simple“Millions of people watched the final match on television.”
In context“Millions of migratory birds pass through this wetland every spring, making it a site of international ecological importance.”
Usagerequires 'of' before a following noun phrase.
Usage million people · million years · millions of dollars
From Old French, from Italian milione (“million”, from mille (“thousand”, from Latin mille) + -one). Compare -illion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.