macro

¹

[mak-roh]

adjective

1. very large in scale, scope, or capability.

2. of or relating to macroeconomics.

noun

plural

macros 

1. anything very large in scale, scope, or capability.

2. Photography.,  a macro lens.

3. Also called macroinstruction. Computers.,  an instruction that represents a sequence of instructions in abbreviated form.

4. macroeconomics.

macro-

²

especially before a vowel, macr-.

1. a combining form meaning “large,” “long,” “great,” “excessive,” used in the formation of compound words, contrasting with micro-: macrocosm; macrofossil; macrograph; macroscopic.

macro-

¹

combining form

1. large, long, or great in size or duration

   macroscopic

2. (in pathology) indicating abnormal enlargement or overdevelopment Compare micro-

   macrocyte

3. producing larger than life images

   macrophotography

macro

²

/ ˈmækrəʊ /

noun

1. a macro lens

2. Also: macro instruction. a single computer instruction that initiates a set of instructions to perform a specific task

macro–

1. A prefix meaning “large,” as in macromolecule, a large molecule.

Word History and Origins

Origin of macro¹

Independent use of macro-, taken as an adjective, or by shortening of words with macro- as initial element

Origin of macro²

< Greek makro-, combining form of makrós long; cognate with Latin macer lean; meager

Word History and Origins

Origin of macro¹

from Greek makros large; compare Latin macer _meagre

Example Sentences

Domestically, steady bond inflows, export-earnings repatriation and a stable macro backdrop should keep the ringgit relatively firm into the year-end, they say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Overall: Aligned with a positive macro regime with a selective, late-cycle tape that favors quality + value + earnings delivery; sentiment/technicals lag, so use disciplined entries around catalysts and results.

Read more on Barron's

A few factors have largely been behind this latest unraveling, said Bob Savage, head of markets macro strategy at BNY.

Read more on MarketWatch

“Fundamentally, there are still good reasons to believe that wealthier households should continue to perform pretty well,” said Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Nvidia has become the spiritual index of the AI cycle, the load-bearing pillar of the market’s most crowded macro story,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, in an emailed note Monday.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• broad 
• extensive 
• large 
• large-scale 

When To Use

What does macro- mean?

Macro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “large; long; great; excessive.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.Macro- comes from Greek makrós, meaning “long.” The Latin translation of makrós is longus, also meaning “long,” which is the source of terms such as longanimity and longitude. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.What are variants of macro-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, macro- becomes macr-, as in macrencephaly. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about macr-.