What does millionaire mean?
A millionaire is a person who owns wealth worth at least one million units of money, usually dollars, pounds, or another major currency. The term is often used for entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, entertainers, or inheritors who have accumulated substantial wealth, especially when their success is publicly known. In everyday speech, it can also describe someone who has an exceptionally large amount of money without necessarily being a businessperson. “Self-made millionaire” emphasizes that the person created their own fortune, while “paper millionaire” refers to someone whose assets have risen in value but have not yet been converted into cash. The word is informal and figurative, so exact financial categories such as “billionaire” are more precise when greater precision is required.
nounA person who owns wealth worth at least one million units of money, especially dollars or pounds. The term can also refer metaphorically to someone who possesses a million dollars.
- A person whose wealth is valued at one million or more units of money.
- A person who has an exceptionally large amount of money or resources.
"The entrepreneur became a millionaire after her software company went public."
"She is a millionaire who prefers to live quietly away from the public eye."
"The charity was founded by a millionaire who wanted to support arts education."
The plural is formed by adding -s to the singular form.
"Several millionaires donated to the campaign."
The word “millionaire” was originally a playful label for someone whose fortune could be written with six zeroes — and it remains one of the clearest ways to describe extraordinary wealth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does millionaire come from?
“Millionaire” is a 19th-century formation built on “million,” with the suffix “-aire,” a term used in English for people associated with wealth or a profession. The word “million” comes through French from the Latin “millesimus,” meaning “thousandth,” and entered English in the early 17th century. Related words include “millionth” and “millennial,” while the modern currency sense developed as large fortunes became widely discussed in public and commercial life.
Related word forms
How millionaire is actually used
The word is informal and commonly used in general contexts; “billionaire” is the more precise term when the fortune is worth one billion or more. It can also be used figuratively for a person with an exceptionally valuable collection, property, or other assets.
Easily confused with millionaire
A millionaire has at least one million units of wealth, whereas a billionaire has at least one billion.