mega-
variant of megalo- (megalith ); also the initial element in units of measure that are equal to one million of the units denoted by the base word (megahertz ). M
Showing results for mega-.
Search instead for
m-a-.
mega-
American
especially before a vowel,
meg-.
mega
1
British
/ ˈmɛɡə /
adjective
mega-
2
British
combining form
-
M. denoting 10 6
megawatt
-
(in computer technology) denoting 2 20 (1 048 576)
megabyte
-
large or great
megalith
-
informal great in importance or amount
megastar
mega–
Scientific
-
A prefix that means:
-
Large, as in megadose, a large dose.
-
One million, as in megahertz, one million hertz.
-
2 20 (that is, 1,048,576), which is the power of 2 closest to a million, as in megabyte.
Usage
What does mega- mean? Mega- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “large, great, grand, abnormally large.” It is used in many scientific and medical terms. In science, mega- is specifically used as a prefix in units of measure equaling a factor of “one million.” It’s abbreviation is M. So, a megawatt (MW) is one million watts. Mega- comes from the Greek mégas, meaning “large” or “great.”What are variants of mega-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, mega- becomes meg-, as in megohm. Mega- is a variant of megalo- and megal-, as in megalomania and megalopsia. Learn more about their specific applications in our Words That Use articles.
Etymology
Origin of mega-
Combining form representing Greek mégas large, great
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Beek looked at the yachts around us, mega- and not.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023
The West is in a drought so huge that everyone started throwing the prefix mega- in front of it.
From Salon ● Dec. 29, 2021
In fact, the foundation drew contributions from some who were once Clinton’s most bitter GOP enemies, including Newsmax chief executive Christopher Ruddy and conservative mega- donor Richard Mellon Scaife.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 2, 2015
The model in the courtyard is of a never-realized mega- tower by Vladimir Tatlin, with a rotating block for each arm of Soviet power.
From BusinessWeek ● Nov. 3, 2011
Four of the men were shouting something through mega- phones.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
The proposed productivity mega deduction will allow taxpayers to fully write off the cost of an investment in the year it becomes available.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
The cat made a surprise cameo along with the mega pop star in a pre-recorded segment about the likelihood of Swift appearing at the Emmys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
But while the number of boat crossings over summer months has dropped to its lowest since 2019, smugglers appear to have started loading more people onto fewer, larger vessels dubbed "mega dinghies".
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
It went from the loft to the club to the mega bar, and now it has gone to the arena.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
Now, as I watched the mega screen where the roster of names would appear, I felt, deep down, that I could’ve done better.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
