| 释义 |
trillion|ˈtrɪljən|
[= F. trillion (N. Chuquet, c 1484), It. trillione, from the stem of million with substitution of tri-: cf. billion.]
The third power of a million; a million billions, i.e. millions of millions. Also, orig. in France and local U.S., a thousand ‘billions’, or 1012 (i.e. the traditional English billion: see billion): this sense is now standard in the U.S. and is increasingly common in British usage.
The terms billion, trillion, quadrillion, etc., up to nonillion, are explained by N. Chuquet, in his Triparty de la Science des Nombres (lf. 2 r) printed in Bullettino di Bibliografia e di Storia delle Scienze Matematiche XIII. 593 (Roma 1880); also in the Arismetique of Ét. de la Roche, 1520. Both of these early writers explain billion, trillion, etc. as successive powers of a million, the trillion being the third power of a million, ‘a million of millions of millions’, as formerly always used in England. According to Littré, it was only in the middle of the 17th c. that the ‘erroneous’ custom was established of dividing series of figures above a million into groups of three, and calling a thousand millions a billion, and a million millions a trillion, an entire perversion of the nomenclature of Chuquet and De la Roche.
1690[see billion]. 1696S. Jeake Arith. 14 Others..call..the nineteenth place Trillion. 1706W. Jones Syn. Palmar. Matheseos 8 Then the 3d. Point from Units stands under Trillions. 1802in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. VI. 337 He wished also to purchase the words billions, trillions, and quadrillions, in order to make his constituents comprehend the immensity of their burdens, and the profundity of his arithmetic. 1806Hutton Course Math. (1810) I. 5 Millions of millions, or bi-millions, contracted to billions, millions of millions of millions, or tri-millions, contracted to trillions. 1867Denison Astron. without Math. 226 You will find the tons in..the earth [to be] 5842 with 18 cyphers after it or 5842 trillions of tons. 1919Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) 12 Mar. 2/7 The consideration of reparations has introduced the word ‘trillion’ in recognizing money... In estimating the war losses of all the powers the first figures of one of the great powers aggregated a trillion francs and those of another power were slightly above a half trillion francs, namely, six hundred billion francs. 1971Daily Tel. 30 Jan. 13 For the current calendar year the ‘magic trillion’ will be with us. The [American] budget assumed a 9 p.c. growth in GNP this year to $1,065,000 million. 1975New Yorker 21 Apr. 48/1 About two trillion dollars' worth of insurance alone is currently in force. 1980Guardian Weekly 30 Nov. 8/1 Plans to devote a trillion dollars to US military spending over the next five years. 1982Nature 1 July 9/1 Compositions of many important trace species are in the parts per trillion (10-12) by volume range.
Hence trillionaire |trɪljəˈnɛə(r)| [after millionaire], one possessing property worth a trillion of pounds, dollars, or other standard coin.
1873M. Collins Miranda I. 194 The trillionaire might turn patriot and pay the National Debt without feeling it. 1886Tinsley's Mag. Oct. 323 A few trillionaires and struggling persons of that description. |