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Glite Dictionary
gigajillion hour

gigajillion hour

9.7
A very long time that people say to show exaggeration
  • noun
  • Slang
translation icon : gigajillón de horas
  • It feels like I've waited a gigajillion hours for this movie to start.

Examples

  • We spent a gigajillion hours debating the smallest details of the project.

  • She said she'd been waiting for a gigajillion hours before her food finally arrived.

  • It took me a gigajillion hour to finish the paperwork last night.

  • I spent a gigajillion hour trying to fix my computer!

  • I felt like I waited a gigajillion hour for my turn at the amusement park.

  • After a gigajillion hour of driving, we finally reached our destination.

  • He took a gigajillion hour to explain his reasoning during the meeting.

Synonyms

billion
vsgigajillion hour
  • Informal
151 2.5

A very large, not exact number used to say there are many

shifts that informal exaggeration to mean a long period rather than a number
gazillion
vsgigajillion hour
  • Slang
24 7.0

A very large unknown number used to say something is much bigger than it is

describes an exaggeratedly long span rather than a numeric amount
bazillion
vsgigajillion hour
  • Slang
8 8.1

A very large number that people use to show exaggeration

focuses on a hugely long duration rather than a countable quantity
gorillion
vsgigajillion hour
  • Slang
9.9

A made-up very large number that people use to mean a lot of things

applies the same exaggeration to time rather than to counting
bajillion
vsgigajillion hour
  • UK
8.3

A very large number with no exact amount, said as a joke

uses that playful exaggeration to mean a very long time instead

How Long

gigajillion hour
  • Slang
9.7
century
∞ 1.0
year
∞ 1.0
day
∞ 1.0
hour
∞ 1.0
minute
∞ 1.0
instant
232 1.0

Surface Forms

gigajillion hour singular
gigajillion hours plural

Morphology

gigajillion + hours

The phrase is compositionally built from a large-number formative ('gigajillion' = an extremely large/indefinite number, though informal) plus 'hour(s)' (a unit/period of time), so the meaning 'an extremely long time' follows directly. Despite its nonce/informal status, the morphological cues (giga-/-jillion) and the transparent combination make the sense easily inferable by learners who know the constituents.

Etymology

Gigajillion hour is a playful mix of very big number words: giga and jillion, joined to hour. It imagines an impossible number of hours, so it's used to mean 'a very long time'.