billion

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Cardinal number 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Related terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.3.4 References 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Cardinal number 2.3.1 Related terms 2.3.2 Descendants 2.4 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French billion. From the prefix bi-, meaning two + -illion (from million); i.e. a million million.

Coined by Jehan Adam in 1475 as by-million.^{[1] [2] [3]} Rendered as byllion by Nicolas Chuquet in 1484, in his article “Triparty en la science des nombres”.^{[4] [5]}

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbɪljən/, SAMPA: /"bIlj@n/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɪljən
• Hyphenation: bil‧lion

[edit] Cardinal number

billion (plural billions)

1. (US, modern British & Australian, short scale) A milliard, a thousand million: 1 followed by nine zeros, 10⁹.
2. (obsolete British & Australian, long scale) A million million: a 1 followed by twelve zeros, 10¹².
3. (colloquial, plural) A very large number.

   There were billions of people at the concert

• Western (Arabic) Numeral billion, 10⁹ short scale, 10¹² long scale
  • Previous: short scale: million, 10⁶; long scale: milliard, 10⁹
  • Next: trillion: short scale 10¹², long scale 10¹⁸
• ISO prefix: giga-

[edit] Derived terms

• billionaire

[edit] Related terms

• trillion, coined at same time

[edit] Translations

Sinhalese: බිලියනය (biliyanaya)

Turkish: milyar tr(tr) Welsh: biliwn cy(cy) (1)

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ Bibliothèque St Geneviève, Paris, MS Français 3143 - original French manuscript by Jehan Adam
2. ^ Jehan Adam, Traicté en arismetique pour la practique par gectouers… Parchemin. XVe siècle (1475).
3. ^ Lynn Thorndike, “The Arithmetic of Jehan Adam, A.D. 1475,” Science and Thought in the Fifteenth Century
4. ^ Chuquet, Nicolas (written 1484, published 1880). Triparty en la science des nombres (ISSN 9012-9458). Aristide Marre, Bologna (Italy), 1880.
      Idem. "Nicolas Chuquet's manuscript." Published by www.miakinen.net. URL accessed on 2008-03-01.
5. ^ Idem. "Nicolas Chuquet's chapter." Transcription by Michael Florencetime. URL accessed on 2008-03-01.

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From the prefix bi-, meaning two + -illion (from million); i.e. a million million.

Coined by Jehan Adam in 1475 as by-million.^{[1] [2] [3]} Rendered as byllion by Nicolas Chuquet in 1484, in his article “Triparty en la science des nombres”.^{[4] [5]}

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /bi.ljɔ̃/, SAMPA: /bi.ljO~/

[edit] Cardinal number

billion

1. A long scale billion, 10¹²; a short scale trillion.

[edit] Related terms

• trillion, coined at same time

[edit] Descendants

• Catalan: bilió

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ Bibliothèque St Geneviève, Paris, MS Français 3143 - original French manuscript by Jehan Adam
2. ^ Jehan Adam, Traicté en arismetique pour la practique par gectouers… Parchemin. XVe siècle (1475).
3. ^ Lynn Thorndike, “The Arithmetic of Jehan Adam, A.D. 1475,” Science and Thought in the Fifteenth Century
4. ^ Chuquet, Nicolas (written 1484, published 1880). Triparty en la science des nombres (ISSN 9012-9458). Aristide Marre, Bologna (Italy), 1880.
      Idem. "Nicolas Chuquet's manuscript." Published by www.miakinen.net. URL accessed on 2008-03-01.
5. ^ Idem. "Nicolas Chuquet's chapter." Transcription by Michael Florencetime. URL accessed on 2008-03-01.