What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
billion
Example
The company made billions of dollars in profit last year. [billion: noun]
Example
There are over seven billion people living on Earth. [billion: adjective]
milliard
Example
The project cost several milliards of pounds to complete. [milliard: noun]
Example
The country's debt is in the milliards. [milliard: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Billion is the more common and widely recognized term for one thousand million. It is used in various contexts, including finance, science, and everyday language. Milliard is less common and mainly used in British English and some other English-speaking countries.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between billion and milliard?
Billion is generally considered more formal and is widely used in both formal and informal contexts. Milliard, on the other hand, may sound more formal or old-fashioned and is less commonly used in everyday language.
