Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| milmillonario | /milmiʝonaɾjo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| millardario | /miʝaɾˈdaɾjo/ | masculine |
| billonario | /biʝonaɾjo/ (from spelling rules) | US, masculine |
All forms refer to a person whose wealth exceeds one billion (10⁹).
What does it mean word for word?
The term milmillonario is a compound of mil (thousand) and millonario (millionaire), literally meaning 'thousand-millionaire'.
Which one should you use?
In standard Spanish, billonario refers to someone with a trillion (a million million) according to the long scale system. To refer specifically to an English-style billionaire (one billion), use milmillonario. The form billonario is also used in certain regions of the Americas to align with the English meaning of a billion.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form billonario is less formal than milmillonario.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the term milmillonario/a is used to refer to a billionaire.
How does it change in a sentence?
The provided forms are masculine. The feminine form of the adjective is multimillonaria, as seen in the phrase La empresaria es multimillonaria.
How do you pronounce it?
/milmiʝonaɾjo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use billonario to mean a person with a billion dollars, but in standard Spanish, a billonario is someone with a million million (a trillion). Use milmillonario to avoid this confusion.
Did you know?
- The word millardario is derived from millardo, a term introduced by the Royal Spanish Academy to bridge the gap between the Spanish 'long scale' and the English 'short scale'.
- In some contexts, using billonario can actually be a compliment to someone's astronomical wealth. Because it implies a trillion in standard Spanish, you are inadvertently suggesting they are much richer than an English billionaire.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, you will hear the term multimillonario instead of any specific billion-related term. This adjective is a safe way to describe someone with extreme wealth without getting caught in the 'billion' vs 'trillion' trap.
Examples in context
- Tom es un billonario.Tom is a billionaire.This sentence is useful for seeing the use of billonario.Tatoeba #8619179 by cueyayotl, translation #1868241 by CK
- El empresario es multimillonarioThe businessman is a billionaire
- El magnate de los negocios es multimillonarioThe business magnate is a billionaire
- El nuevo milmillonario vive en esta ciudad.The new billionaire lives in this city.
- Él es un milmillonario muy famoso.He is a very famous billionaire.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a news report about a tech mogul.
- Alejandro¿Sabías que él es un milmillonario?Did you know that he is a billionaire?
- LucíaNo, no sabía que ese hombre era tan rico.No, I didn't know that man was so rich.
- AlejandroEs el milmillonario más joven del mundo.He is the youngest billionaire in the world.
- Lucía¡Qué increíble es su fortuna!How incredible his fortune is!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “billionaire” translations and entries milmillonario, millardario, billonario, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries billonario, millardario, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
