# hundreds and thousands

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌhʌndɹəds n̩ ˈθaʊz(ə)ndz/

## Definitions
1. An indefinite but emphatically large number.
2. Tiny balls or strands of multicoloured sugar, sprinkled over ice cream, desserts or party foods.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *ḱm̥tóm
From hundreds + and + thousands. Sense 2 (“tiny balls or strands of multicoloured sugar”) is from the fact that the confectionery is made up of numerous sugar pieces.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hundreds-and-thousands