miljoenen

Miljoenen is the plural form of the Dutch noun miljoen, meaning one million (1,000,000). It designates a large quantity and is used especially when millions are referred to as a group rather than as a specific total. In standard counting, Dutch typically uses the singular form after a numeral: drie miljoen euro, drie miljoen mensen. The plural miljoenen appears when the exact count of millions is not fixed or when speaking of millions as a category, for example: er wonen miljoenen mensen in India, er is sprake van tientallen miljoenen euro’s belegd. The phrase miljoenen can also modify a plural noun, as in miljoenen stemmen or miljoenen euro’s.

Etymology and form: miljoenen derives from the same root as miljoon, borrowed into Dutch from the French million, which in turn comes from Italian milione and ultimately from Latin mille with a suffix that indicates a large number. The form is consistent with Dutch spelling conventions, with -en added to form the plural.

Usage notes: In sentences that specify the amount, the singular miljoon is used after the numeral (bijvoorbeeld: vier miljoen). The plural miljoenen is common when the exact total is unspecified or when referring to a broad mass of people, money, or objects in the millions. Related terms in the same family include miljard (a larger unit, roughly a thousand millions) and biljoen in the traditional scale, though modern usage varies by context and region.