# thousand

/ˈθaʊzən/ (US) · /θˈaʊzənd/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thousand
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

the number 1,000. You use it to talk about a large group of people or things.

For teachers: the cardinal number equal to ten times one hundred. Often used figuratively to indicate a large but unspecified quantity.

## Examples

- There are one thousand meters in a kilometer.
- The stadium was packed with over ten thousand fans cheering for the home team.
- The ancient ruins have stood for several thousand years, surviving countless wars and natural disasters while remaining largely intact for modern archaeologists to study.

## Pitfalls

- Not "five thousands people" but "five thousand people" — When preceded by a specific number, 'thousand' does not take a plural 's'.

## Usage notes

- When used as a specific number with another digit, it remains singular ('two thousand'); it becomes plural ('thousands') when used to describe an indefinite large amount.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.