What is million? Pronunciation and usage in English

million means . Learn how to pronounce and use million through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of million

millionnumeral

/ˈmɪljən/
Definition & pronunciation of million

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "million" in English. It's a tricky one for many learners! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and accepted pronunciation is:

  • /ˈmɪljən/ (pronounced: MILL-yun)

Let's break that down further:

  • Mill-: This part sounds like "mill" - as in, a grain mill. It's a short, sharp sound.
  • -yun: This part sounds like "jun". It's a long, drawn-out "y" sound.

Here's a more detailed phonetic breakdown (using the International Phonetic Alphabet - IPA):

/ˈmɪljən/

  • ˈ - This indicates primary stress (meaning it’s the loudest and most emphasized syllable).
  • mɪ - This makes the "mi" sound, like in "him" or "sit".
  • lj - This is a tricky part! It’s a sound that doesn't exist in many languages. It's similar to the "gl" in "flag" but slightly more relaxed and almost like a blend of "l" and "j". It's basically a voiced postalveolar fricative.
  • ən - This makes the "un" sound, like in "fun" or "sun".

Tips for Practice:

  1. Start with "mill": Practice saying "mill" clearly.

  2. Add the "jun": Slowly blend the "jun" sound, making the "y" sound long.

  3. Combine: Slowly put the two parts together: "MILL-yun."

  4. Listen to examples: The best way to learn is to hear it pronounced correctly. Here are some ways to listen:

    • Google Search: Search for “how to pronounce million” on Google and listen to the examples.
    • Forvo: https://forvo.com/word/%C2%A7illion/ - Forvo is a website where native speakers pronounce words.
    • YouTube: Search for “pronounce million” on YouTube.

Important Note: You might hear some variations, particularly in British English. In some British accents, it might sound slightly closer to "mill-ee-un," but the "MILL-yun" pronunciation is the standard and most widely understood.

Would you like me to:

  • Repeat the pronunciation slowly?
  • Give you additional tips on the tricky "lj" sound?

Usage and examples with the word million in English

Let's break down how to use the word "million" in English. It's a big number, so it's good to understand how to incorporate it naturally into your speech and writing.

1. Basic Definition & Usage:

  • Million = 1,000,000: Simply put, a million is one thousand times one hundred thousand.

2. Common Ways to Use "Million":

  • Describing Large Quantities: This is the most frequent use.

    • "There are millions of stars in the universe."
    • "The company made a million dollars in profit last year."
    • "She has millions of followers on social media."
    • "We need to find a million ways to solve this problem."

  • Referring to Money: It's often used to express large sums of money.

    • "He inherited a million dollars."
    • "The movie cost about a million pounds to produce."
    • “The restaurant bills can easily run into the millions.”

  • Indicating a Very Large Number (Without Specific Quantity):

    • “He’s a very successful businessman – he’s worth millions.” (Meaning he has a lot of money)
    • “The project involved millions of dollars of investment.” (Meaning a huge amount of money)

3. Spelling & Pronunciation:

  • Spelling: “Million” (with an ‘l’)
  • Pronunciation: /ˈmɪljən/ (MILE-yun) - the ‘i’ is pronounced like the ‘i’ in “bit.”

4. Using "Million" in Phrases & Expressions:

  • “In the millions”: This emphasizes a very large quantity. “There were millions of people at the concert.”
  • “Millions of dollars” / “Millions of pounds” etc.: Used to specify the currency. “The government spends millions of dollars on defense.”
  • “A million-dollar idea”: This means a brilliant or exceptionally valuable idea. "His invention was a million-dollar idea."
  • “Worth its weight in gold”: (Often used metaphorically) - Meaning extremely valuable. “That information is worth its weight in gold.” (You could say it's worth a million dollars too!)

5. Important Considerations:

  • Don’t overuse it: Saying "a million things" or "a million reasons" can sound repetitive. Try to be more specific. Instead of “a million things to do,” you could say “many things to do” or “a lot of things to do.”

  • Use numerals for precise amounts: When stating exact amounts of money, always use numerals (e.g., $1,000,000). Saying “a million dollars” is acceptable for general estimates or discussion, but numerals are more precise.

    • Correct: “The company earned $1,000,000 in revenue.”
    • Correct: “She donated a million dollars to charity.”

  • Context is key: The way you use "million" depends on the context of your sentence.

Example Sentences Combining Multiple Uses:

  • “The charity raised millions of dollars for disaster relief, making it a truly million-dollar effort.” (Large quantity of money + valuable idea)
  • "He has millions of views on the video, indicating it's a million-dollar production." (Large quantity + value)

Resources for More Information:

Do you want me to:

  • Give you more examples of how to use "million" in a specific context (e.g., business, science, everyday conversation)?
  • Explain how to compare numbers using "million"?
  • Help you practice using "million" in sentences?

Synonyms for the word million

Idioms of the word million

look/feel like a million dollars/bucks
(informal)to look/feel extremely good
  • Wow, you look like a million dollars.
one, etc. in a million
a person or thing that is very unusual or special
  • He's a man in a million.

Practice with vocabulary million

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. The technology startup successfully raised fifty-five _____ dollars in its latest funding round.
  2. Over two _____ people attended the online webinar, demonstrating its widespread appeal.
  3. The grant provided a budget of twenty _____ euros for research and development.
  4. Developing this complex software required _____ hours of coding and testing.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. Which number is correctly written as "one million"? A) 100,000 B) 1,000,000 C) 10,000,000 D) 100,000,000

  2. The global market for electric vehicles is projected to reach several _____ units sold annually within the next decade. A) thousands B) dozens C) millions D) hundreds

  3. Which of the following phrases accurately describes a very large quantity of something, often without needing an exact count? A) a considerable amount B) a few dozen C) countless items D) many millions

  4. To address the growing demand, the company decided to invest a _____ sum in expanding its production facilities. A) negligible B) modest C) substantial D) trivial

  5. The scientist presented a _____ of evidence supporting her groundbreaking theory. A) scarcity B) dearth C) multitude D) handful

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The global smartphone market ships a tremendous volume of devices every quarter. (Rewrite using "million" or a related word form.)
  2. The crowdfunding campaign surpassed expectations, raising a vast amount for charity. (Rewrite using "million" or a related word form.)
  3. We encountered a lot of issues during the software's beta testing phase. (Rewrite using a suitable replacement word, but do not use "million".)

Answer:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. million
  2. million
  3. thousand
  4. considerable (or numerous)

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. B) 1,000,000
  2. C) millions
  3. A) a considerable amount, C) countless items, D) many millions
  4. C) substantial
  5. C) multitude

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The global smartphone market ships millions of devices every quarter.
  2. The crowdfunding campaign surpassed expectations, raising over a million dollars for charity.
  3. We encountered numerous issues during the software's beta testing phase.

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