Googol Meaning and Definition

Googol

Googol

Pronunciation

/ˈguːɡəl/

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A googol is a 1 followed by 100 zeros (10^100), representing a massive but finite number.

Etymology

The word “Googol” was coined by American mathematician Edward Kasner, who was trying to come up with a name for this enormous number. He asked his nephew, Milton Sirotta, for suggestions, and Milton came up with “Googol.”

Usage Notes

Googol is often used in mathematics and science to describe extremely large numbers. It’s also used informally to describe things that are very big or numerous.

Cultural References

Googol has appeared in various popular culture references, including films, TV shows, and literature. For example, in the film “The Big Year” (2011), a character mentions a “googol” planets in the universe.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

  • Googol times better means many, many times better.

Related Words or Phrases

  • Infinity
  • Huge
  • Massive

Collocations

  • Googol of numbers
  • Googol of stars

Frequency of Use

Googol is a relatively rare word in everyday language, but it’s gaining popularity due to its unique and memorable nature.

Common Misspellings

  • Gerbera
  • Googolplex

Related Words