mega-

especially before a vowel, meg-.

1. 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

mega-

¹

combining form

1. M. denoting 10 ⁶

   megawatt

2. (in computer technology) denoting 2 ²⁰ (1 048 576)

   megabyte

3. large or great

   megalith

4. informal,  great in importance or amount

   megastar

mega

²

/ ˈmɛɡə /

adjective

1. slang,  extremely good, great, or successful

mega–

1. A prefix that means:

2. Large, as in megadose, a large dose.

3. One million, as in megahertz, one million hertz.

4. 2 ²⁰ (that is, 1,048,576), which is the power of 2 closest to a million, as in megabyte.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mega-¹

Combining form representing Greek mégas large, great

Word History and Origins

Origin of mega-¹

from Greek megas huge, powerful

Origin of mega-²

C20: probably independent use of _mega-

Example Sentences

Suffice to say there’s a mega battle on the horizon.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The company recently recalled more than 100,000 Mega MPVs due to an issue with the coolant’s corrosion resistance.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Starting Friday, “Fortnite Festival” players across the globe can rock out to the story of la chona as Los Tucanes de Tijuana’s mega hit “La Chona” is the latest track to hit the “Fortnite” universe.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The UK government is expected to approve China's plans for a new mega embassy in central London.

Read more on BBC

Hulkman Mega Power Station – Outdoor adventures in a hyper-connected world require reliable portable power, and the Hulkman Mega Power Station delivers more than enough.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• commanding 
• grand 
• grandiose 
• imperial 
• magnificent 
• massive 
• monumental 
• noble 
• ominous 
• stately 
• striking 
• towering 

When To Use

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.