sextillion

noun

sex·​til·​lion seks-ˈtil-yən How to pronounce sextillion (audio)
often attributive
US : a number equal to 1 followed by 21 zeros see Table of Numbers
also, British : a number equal to 1 followed by 36 zeros see Table of Numbers

Examples of sextillion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
About half of Mercury's mass—2 sextillion pounds or so—would be usable in the form of the elements oxygen and iron, Armstrong reckons. — Adam Hadhazy, Popular Mechanics, 7 Mar. 2023 But, Loeb says, such objects are probably numerous, with perhaps 60 sextillion similarly sized rocks launched outward by a single star. — Nadia Drake, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019 By 2028, global data creation is projected to exceed 400 zettabytes—with a single zettabyte equalling one sextillion bytes of data. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Jan. 2026 This endless search for information is costing businesses productivity, and this challenge is only growing due to skyrocketing data volumes — 59 sextillion bytes in 2020 alone. — Marc Vontobel, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021 See All Example Sentences for sextillion

Word History

Etymology

French, irregular from sex- (from Latin sex) + -illion (as in million)

First Known Use

1690, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sextillion was in 1690

Rhymes for sextillion

See All Rhymes for sextillion

Browse Nearby Words

sextile
sextillion
sexting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sextillion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sextillion. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sextillion

noun
sex·​til·​lion sek-ˈstil-yən How to pronounce sextillion (audio)
US : a number equal to 1 followed by 21 zeros see number
also, British : a number equal to 1 followed by 36 zeros see number
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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