How do you abbreviate billion? The word billion has a few common abbreviations.
The most common abbreviations for billion are,
- B
- bn
- bil.
The most common of these three abbreviations is probably “B”.
When to Use This Abbreviation
These abbreviations may be used in mathematics texts or formal writing within the context of records such as banks or other companies where large numbers are documented.
They may also be used in communication, such as memos and email, between workers that are familiar with their meaning or newspaper headlines in order to save space.
In most other instances, the word or the number should be written in its complete form.
What Does Billion Mean?
Definition of billion: The cardinal number billion can function as a noun or and adjective and refers to the number one thousand million.
Like million, it is also commonly used as hyperbole for a huge amount of something.
For example,
- Donald Trump made billions in his own companies before becoming a presidential candidate. (Literal)
- Kim Kardashian has a billion pairs of shoes in her closet. (Hyperbole)
Outside Examples of Billion
The U.S. government moved on Friday to temporarily halt an oil pipeline in North Dakota that has angered Native Americans . . . The government’s action reflected the success of growing protests over the proposed $3.7 billion pipeline crossing four states which has sparked a renewal of Native American activism. –New York Post
- The Federal Reserve said Thursday that consumer borrowing rose by $17.7 billion in July, up from a $14.5 billion increase in June. –Washington Post
Summary
There are few different ways to abbreviate the word billion. The most common abbreviations of billion are,
- B
- Bn
- bil.
The most common abbreviation is “B”.
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