trillion

/ˈtɹɪljən/

//ˈtɹɪljən// num

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"trillion" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“trillion” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,833 in English word frequency and used as a numeral.

#9,833
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Either of two large amounts:

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

trillion vs trillions
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for trillion
PropertyValue
Headwordtrillion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNumeral
IPA/ˈtɹɪljən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,833
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “trillion” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). trillion lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for trillion is 8 letters long, classified as a numeral, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɹɪljən/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,833 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for trillion, with forms such as "rtillion", "tirllion", and "trililon". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "trillions", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French trillion, from French tri- (“three”) + -illion, equivalent to tri- + -illion. The noun was coined by American basketball player Harvey Pollack, because of the way the numbers read across a basketball box score. The correct English form is trillion, spelled T-R-I-L-L-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Either of two large amounts:
  2. 2
    Either of two large amounts:
  3. 3
    An unspecified very large number.

Etymology

Borrowed from French trillion, from French tri- (“three”) + -illion, equivalent to tri- + -illion. The noun was coined by American basketball player Harvey Pollack, because of the way the numbers read across a basketball box score.

This word in other languages

billón(Español)billion(Français)Billion(Deutsch)bilião(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtillion,tirllion,trililon,trilion,trillino,trillionn,trilloin,trlilion,trrillion,ttrillion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of trillion - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

rtillion2tirllion2trililon2trilion1trillino2trillionn1trilloin2trlilion2
Edit distance from "trillion"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "trillion"?
"trillion" is spelled T-R-I-L-L-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹɪljən/.
What does "trillion" mean?
As a numeral, "trillion" means: Either of two large amounts:
What words are commonly confused with "trillion"?
"trillion" is commonly confused with "trillions". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "trillion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "trillion" is /ˈtɹɪljən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "trillion"?
Borrowed from French trillion, from French tri- (“three”) + -illion, equivalent to tri- + -illion. The noun was coined by American basketball player Harvey Pollack, because of the way the numbers read across a basketball box score. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “trillion”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-I-L-L-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹɪljən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “trillions” - see the side-by-side comparison. trillion vs trillions
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list