[a. F. quadrillion (16th c.), f. quadri- + (m)illion: see BILLION.] a. In Great Britain: The fourth power of a million, represented by 1 followed by twenty-four ciphers. b. In U.S. (as in France): The fifth power of a thousand, or 1 followed by fifteen ciphers.
1674. Jeake, Arith. (1696), 14. Others … call … the twenty fifth place Quadrillion.
1706. W. Jones, Syn. Palmar. Matheseos, 8. Then the 4th point from Units stands under Quadrillions.
1795–8. T. Maurice, Hindostan (1820), I. I. iv. 142. Two quadrillions … of lunar years.
1891. Pall Mall Gaz., 4 March, 3/2. I wonder how many quadrillions, quintillions, sextillions there are of them [locusts]!
Hence Quadrillionaire (after MILLIONAIRE), one who possesses a quadrillion of the standard unit of money in any country. Quadrillionth a., the ordinal numeral corresponding to quadrillion; sb., a quadrillionth part (Funk’s Stand. Dict., 1893).
a. 1876. M. Collins, Pen Sketches (1879), I. 172. A millionaire (we shall soon have billionaires, trillionaires, quadrillionaires).
1882. Sala, Amer. Revis. (1885), 174. Silver-mine millionnaires and Wall-street quadrillionnaires.
