jillion

American  

[jil-yuhn] / ˈdʒɪl yən /

noun

1. an indefinitely vast number; zillion.

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adjective

1. of or noting such a quantity.

   a jillion problems.

jillion British  

/ ˈdʒɪljən /

noun

1. informal an extremely large number or amount

   jillions of pounds

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Other Word Forms

• jillionth noun

Etymology

Origin of jillion

First recorded in 1940–45; expressive formation based on million, billion, etc.

Explanation

A jillion is an enormous number of something. If your next door neighbor has too many cats to count, go ahead and say they've got a jillion cats. Similar to words like zillion, tons, or oodles, jillion is perfect for talking about a huge but vague number. It's also hyperbolic — in other words, it's an exaggeration. The word is modeled on actual numbers like million and billion, so it almost sounds like a real quantity. But like zillion, jillion is imprecise. Its origin is vague too, described as an "arbitrary coinage" first used around 1940.

Example Sentences

It’s not unlike opening your garbage can and taking a big sniff, but multiplied by about one jillion.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2024

But that was no earworm — and neither is “Eazy Sleazy,” with lyrics that could have been pulled from any one of a jillion rambling, cranky COVID-19 diaries.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2021

Each week I read a jillion jokes to find the best material, Deciding which to print with my authority imperial.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2021

“You could have a jillion chickens on this roof.”

From New York Times • Aug. 23, 2013

The sound of my nickname feels like seventy-two jillion vampire bats screeching right into my ear.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone