How Many Zeros in a Squillion?
A squillion has no defined number of zeros — it is an informal, playful term for an indeterminate, very large quantity. Like zillion, jillion, gazillion, and bazillion, squillion is not a real mathematical number and does not appear in any formal system of numeration. It is used in casual speech — more commonly in British and Australian English than American English — to convey "an uncountably large amount." Some humorous definitions associate squillion with 10100 (a googol), but this is a joke, not a standard definition. Related: Zeros in a zillion.
A squillion has
—
zeros
- Written Form
- No specific value
- Scientific
- N/A
Is Squillion a Real Number?
No — squillion is not a real number. Real large numbers like million (106), googol (10100), or centillion (10303) have precise mathematical definitions. Squillion has none. The PAA snippet for this topic makes a revealing point: "Squillion is a made-up word to describe a very large number… but so is 'googol.'" The difference is that googol was coined by a mathematician (Milton Sirotta) and given a specific, agreed value (10100). Squillion was coined informally and given no value at all. Learn more about zeros in a googolplex.
| Term | Real? | Zeros |
|---|---|---|
| Googol | Yes — coined in 1920, defined as 10100 | 100 |
| Centillion | Yes — 10303 | 303 |
| Squillion | No — no definition | Undefined |
How Many Zeros Does a Squillion Have?
Since squillion is undefined, it has no specific zero count. When people ask "how many zeros in a squillion," the honest answer is that there is no answer — or rather, the answer is "as many as the speaker intends." Some playful definitions peg it at 10100 zeros (aligning it with a googol), but this is informal and inconsistent. If you need a real large number with a known zero count, the named options run from million (6 zeros) to centillion (303 zeros) to googol (100 zeros) to googolplex (10100 zeros). Learn more about how many zeros does a bazillion have.
Why Do Informal Number Words Like Squillion Exist?
Words like squillion, zillion, gazillion, and jillion fill a linguistic gap: sometimes people want to signal "an enormous quantity" without knowing or caring about the exact number. These words borrow the credibility of the real "-illion" series and attach nonsense prefixes to create a feeling of scale. They work in conversation precisely because they are vague — saying "a squillion" is a rhetorical move, not a mathematical claim. The real named large numbers handle precision; the informal -illions handle emphasis.