WordGarden.iomilliard
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈmɪlɪɑːd/archaicnumeral
US
- /ˈmɪliɑrd/archaicnumeral
Meanings
Noun
the number 1,000,000,000
Beyond the definition
A milliard is an old-fashioned term for one billion. It is not common in modern everyday English, where people usually say "billion" instead. Still, you may see it in historical writing, in translations, or in texts influenced by European usage, especially French. It often appears when people talk about very large sums of money, public spending, or national debt. If a report says a project cost several milliards, it simply means several billion.
The word "milliard" means one billion (1,000,000,000). It comes from French and originally meant a thousand million. In the past, it was used more often in Europe as a clear way to talk about very large numbers, especially in government, trade, and finance.
Today, English speakers almost always use "billion," so "milliard" sounds old-fashioned or foreign in English. Even so, it still appears from time to time in older texts, in translations, in discussions of European numbering, or in reports that keep the original wording from another language. It is most often used for money, population figures, or other very large totals.
For example, "The cost of the war reached several milliards" means the cost reached several billion. "The company lost one milliard dollars" means it lost one billion dollars. In modern English, "billion" is usually the better choice, but knowing "milliard" helps when you read historical material or texts shaped by European usage. It is less a special kind of number than a different word for the same number.
Examples
- 1
European usage
The project will cost about three milliard euros in total.
- Usage
common in European English and in translations; many English speakers would say billion instead
- 2
Public spending
The country spent several milliards on flood defenses after the disaster.
- 3
Older British
In older British writing, milliard was sometimes used to avoid confusion about the word billion.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- milliardnoun