Milliardbillion

Milliardbillion is a neologism formed by compounding the terms "milliard" and "billion." It is generally used to describe an extremely large, though vaguely defined, quantity. The term does not hold a standardized definition in formal mathematics or major international dictionaries. Its usage often arises in discussions regarding the differences between the long and short scales of numeration.

In the long scale, which was historically used in Europe and is still used in some regions, a milliard is equal to one thousand million, while a billion is equal to one million million. Under this interpretation, a milliardbillion would logically represent the product of these figures, totaling 10 to the power of 21. Conversely, in the short scale used in the United States and modern British English, a billion is equivalent to one thousand million. Using this system, the term would imply 10 to the power of 18. Because of these conflicting scales, the exact value of a milliardbillion remains ambiguous. Consequently, it is primarily encountered in informal contexts, linguistic puzzles, or theoretical debates regarding large numbers rather than in scientific or financial documentation.