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). Symbol: M
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Also especially before a vowel, meg-.
Origin of mega-
combining form representing Greek mégas large, great
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
mega-
- denoting 10 6megawatt Symbol: M
- (in computer technology) denoting 2 20 (1 048 576)megabyte
- large or greatmegalith
- informal great in importance or amountmegastar
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Word Origin
from Greek megas huge, powerful
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for mega-
before vowels meg-, word-forming element often meaning "large, great," but in precise scientific language "one million" (megaton, megawatt, etc.), from Greek megas "great, large, vast, big, high, tall; mighty, important" (fem. megale), from PIE *meg- "great" (cf. Latin magnus, Old English micel; see mickle). Mega began to be used alone as an adjective by 1982.
High-speed computer stores 2.5 megabits [headline in "Electronics" magazine, Oct. 1, 1957]
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
mega-
- Large:megacephaly.
- One million (106):megahertz.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
mega-
- A prefix that means:
- Large, as in megadose, a large dose.
- One million, as in megahertz, one million hertz.
- 220 (that is, 1,048,576), which is the power of 2 closest to a million, as in megabyte.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.