billion

one in a billion

Exceptionally uncommon or unusually excellent. Hyphenated if used before a noun. This is a one-in-a-billion opportunity for us—we'd be fools not to seize it while we have the chance! My grandmother really was one in a billion, and we're all very blessed to have had the opportunity to know her.

See also: billion, one

one in a million

Exceptionally uncommon or unusually excellent. Hyphenated if used before a noun. This is a one-in-a-million opportunity for us—we'd be fools not to seize it while we have the chance! My grandmother really was one in a million, and we're all very blessed to have had the opportunity to know her.

See also: million, one

one in a thousand

Exceptionally uncommon, unique, or excellent. Hyphenated if used before a noun. This is a one-in-a-thousand opportunity for us—we'd be fools not to seize it while we have the chance! My grandmother really was one in a thousand, and we're all very blessed to have had her in our lives.

See also: one, thousand

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

one in a thousand

 and one in a hundred; one in a million

Fig. nearly unique; one of a very few. He's a great guy. He's one in million. Mary's one in a hundred—such a hard worker.

See also: one, thousand

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

one in a million

Also, one in a thousand or billion . Extraordinary, rare, as in She's the kindest soul-she's one in a million, or This ring is one in a thousand. All these terms are hyperbolic.

See also: million, one

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

one in a million

If you say that someone or something is one in a million, you mean that they are very special or the best of their kind. At 25, Bernstein was a star. One in a million. Note: You can replace one with other nouns. He'll be a horse in a million if he wins. Note: You can also use one-in-a-million before a noun. We still want love and the unique experience of a close, lasting partnership with that one-in-a-million man.

See also: million, one

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012