Because the capital letter M is the Roman numeral for a thousand, you may want to use the mm meaning lowercase letter to avoid confusion. Typically, the abbreviation is used right after a number without a space. Here, we’ll study the word million and explore its meaning, origin, and synonyms. Plus, we’ll abbreviate the word and provide examples where you can use the abbreviation instead of the whole word.

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• As a general rule, abbreviations are not used in academic or other official writing; the word should always be fully written out.
• The least ambiguous approach is to simply write them out in words, such as “$ thousands.” This is Corporate Finance Institute’s recommended method, to avoid any potential confusion.
• However, if you’re working on a project focused on investment banking or targeting specific regions, incorporating “MM” might be more suitable to align with industry standards and regional practices.

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Now that we have an understanding of the common abbreviations, let’s explore the specific contexts in which “M” and “MM” are used. In the sectors of finance, business, and academia, abbreviating “million” is vital. This guide elucidates the conventions, helping professionals from diverse sectors master the art of using “M” and “MM” effectively. Dive in to unlock the nuances of precise numerical communication. While abbreviations like “M” and “MM” are commonly used in informal contexts, such as social media or casual conversations, it’s essential to maintain a formal tone and standard in formal writing.

What are the correct abbreviations for millions, billions and trillions in a financial context?

• “MM” is an old-fashioned abbreviation, but it still sees some usage today.
• Before we delve into the intricacies of abbreviating “million,” it’s crucial to understand why we need such abbreviations in the first place.
• For example, the Roman numeral MM is frequently used to designate that the units used in presenting information (financial and non-financial) in millions.
• Additionally, tech companies often use “M” to denote megabytes, a unit of digital storage capacity.
• Review a few examples of sentences that feature common abbreviations for billion.

It’s also common to see K used for 1,000 and B for a billion. To avoid confusion, use any and all abbreviations consistently throughout all your financial records. Whether the topic is significant sums of money or a massive quantity of something, it’s common to use abbreviations when writing out large numbers in text. Some abbreviations for million options may surprise you, as is also true for some of the other large number abbreviations. Yes, “M” is accepted in formal business and financial writing.

What Does M and MM Mean in Accounting?

CFI is the global institution behind the financial modeling and valuation analyst FMVA® Designation. CFI is on a mission to enable anyone to be a great financial analyst and have a great career path. In order to help you advance your career, CFI has compiled many resources to assist you along the path. In this example, we intentionally chose a piece of analysis that contained various different units, such as dollars and shares. When an analyst must present various different types of units, it is recommended to add a “units” column so that each item contains a label for easy reference.

• Plus, we’ll abbreviate the word and provide examples where you can use the abbreviation instead of the whole word.
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• “M” is the most common abbreviation for “million.” If you’re going to abbreviate “million,” it would usually turn into this form.
• You can use any of the above abbreviations for thousand options when referring to thousands in writing.
• This guide will explore how the notation should be used, as well as alternative symbols that are used in practice.
• The usage of “M” and “MM” as abbreviations for “million” depends on the context, industry, or regional norms.
• Frequently, in finance and accounting, an analyst will use k to denote thousands and a capitalized M to denote millions.

Alternative Approaches

As you can see there is a heavy focus on financial modeling, finance, Excel, business valuation, budgeting/forecasting, PowerPoint presentations, accounting and business strategy. The least ambiguous approach is to simply write them out in words, such as “$ thousands.” This is CFI’s recommended method, to avoid any potential confusion. Frequently, in finance and accounting settings now, an analyst will use k to denote thousands and a capitalized M to denote millions. Abbreviating a million is common, especially in the financial context. Accountants and other businesspeople will use m instead of writing all six zeros. Both upper and lowercase M would be the correct abbreviation.

Why do professionals abbreviate million as “M”?

These regional variations highlight the importance of understanding local customs and practices when communicating numerical information. Here, we’ll explore the various application domains and provide insights to help you navigate the world of abbreviations effortlessly. The Report containing certain information of what are retained earnings company C is given below, representing the same with the compact number representing mode. Boost your confidence and master accounting skills effortlessly with CFI’s expert-led courses! Choose CFI for unparalleled industry expertise and hands-on learning that prepares you for real-world success.

“mm” (which is usually kept in the lower case) is an old-fashioned abbreviation that doesn’t see much common usage. You’ll find that it’s mainly used in the energy sector, Legal E-Billing but it otherwise doesn’t get recognized. It’s also common to see K used for 1,000 and B for a billion.

The History and Origin of the Word

I’ve found answers on the web but also got conflicting answers from financial professionals (coworkers). Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. It comes from middle english “milioun”, from middle french “milion” and from early italian “millione”. 1 million watts abbreviates to 1MW or “megawatt” and in geology, one million years ago is often abbreviated to “1 mya”.