gazillion

American  

[guh-zil-yuhn] / gəˈzɪl yən /

noun

Informal.

1. an extremely large, indeterminate number.

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gazillion British  

/ ɡəˈzɪljən /

noun

1. (often pl) an extremely large but unspecified number, quantity, or amount

   gazillions of people turned up

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to a gazillion

      a gazillion types to choose from

   2. ( as pronoun )

      I found a gazillion under the sink

Etymology

Origin of gazillion

First recorded in 1915–20; ga-, variant of ka- + zillion

Explanation

If you have an enormous, indefinite number of things, you can say you have a gazillion. It might seem like there are a gazillion ants at your family picnic, but hopefully you packed some bug repellent. Like zillion and jillion, gazillion is a made-up word meaning "a whole bunch" that's modeled after actual numbers such as million and billion. Because of that realistic ending, this word sounds almost real, but it's just another informal way to describe quantities that are overwhelmingly large, whether they're actually too big to count or you want to exaggerate them: "I'm so popular. I have a gazillion followers on Twitter!"

Example Sentences

This week also includes a performance at 10:30 by the Gazillion Bubble Show, maker of bubbles big enough to swallow a child.

From New York Times • Jun. 5, 2014

It does get me to Lap Gazillion, she said, abashed.

From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2012

Interactive Entertainment and Gazillion, to name a few.

From Forbes • Jul. 11, 2012