Number Names
A rationalization of the convention used for the names of large numbers.
A million is derived from the older Italian (or later period Latin) millione meaning a great thousand (mille meaning thousand, and one a suffix to indicate a great or large amount). The suffix perhaps conveys (similar to the current -ón/-ona Spanish suffix) the idea of a very large amount when the speaker is trying to emphasize that this is much greater than normal, and to convey it is an almost indescribable and ridiculously large amount (akin to the use of ridiculous in Ridiculous Speed).
Below is the rationalization of the number names. Apparently in Europe and other parts of the world, these number names convey differing orders of magnitude, so this is not intended to argue the correctness of these names, but simply to provide a rational explantion for why they might be (and an easy way to visualize their magnitudes).
| Name | Number | How Many on ’s? * | Prefix | Construction**
[prefix + (mi)lli + suffix] |
| thousand | 1,000 | 0 | _ | mille (Latin for thousand) |
| million | 1,000,000 | 1 | _ | mille + one ; |
| billion | 1,000,000,000 | 2 | bi | bi + mille +one ; |
| trillion | 1,000,000,000,000 | 3 | tri | tri + mille +one ; |
| quadrillion | 1,000,000,000,000,000 | 4 | quad (ri) | quad(ri) + mille +one ; |
| quintillion | 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 | 5 | quint (i) | quint(i) + mille +one ; |
* The suffix one (on) meaning great, very, or almost ridiculously so, could be thought numerically to equate with three orders of magnitude. Therefore, numerically an “on ” could be considered a group of three zeros added to a number (i.e. ,000). The prefix indicates how many of these “on ”s are added behind the starting 1,000 (the original mille or thousand).
** Spelling changes occur over time and as required to keep logical sounds or pronunciation (via elision, crasis, or syneresis). Accordingly, mille becomes milli, and with the prefixes is shortened to only lli (or perhaps illi). In all cases, the original suffix one is shortened to on.
Essentially, a ridiculous amount (an on) in numerical terms equates to three extra zeroes. The prefix (bi, tri, etc) tells you how many of times the ridiculousness is repeated, or in numerical terms how many groups of three zeroes should be added (if no prefix, then only one on). The amount to which everything is applied is the original mille (or thousand).