quadrillion
quadrillion Lexical Profile
quadrillion Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The number equivalent to one thousand trillion, or 10 to the 15th power (1 followed by 15 zeros).
"The supercomputer can perform over a quadrillion calculations per second."
An indefinitely vast or exaggerated number or amount.
"There seemed to be quadrillions of stars shining in the clear desert sky."
British In the traditional long scale, the number equivalent to a million raised to the fourth power, or 10 to the 24th power (1 followed by 24 zeros).
"In older British mathematical texts, a quadrillion denoted a million raised to the fourth power."
• adjective
Amounting to one thousand trillion (10 to the 15th power) in number.
"The human body contains roughly thirty trillion cells and hosts even more microorganisms, involving a quadrillion molecular interactions every second."
Extremely numerous; used hyperbolically to describe an uncountably large quantity of things.
"I have a quadrillion errands to finish before we leave for the airport."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern international and American English (the short scale), a quadrillion equals 10 to the 15th power (one thousand trillion); in older British usage (the long scale), it historically meant 10 to the 24th power (a million raised to the fourth power).
• Rhymes for quadrillion
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 17th century from French quadrillion, coined by mathematician Nicolas Chuquet from Latin quadri- ('four') and the ending of million.