mega-
Americancombining form
-
M. denoting 10 6
megawatt
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(in computer technology) denoting 2 20 (1 048 576)
megabyte
-
large or great
megalith
-
informal great in importance or amount
megastar
adjective
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012-
A prefix that means:
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Large, as in megadose, a large dose.
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One million, as in megahertz, one million hertz.
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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.
She noted that “bondholder sentiment has shifted this fall as a result of the hyperscaler mega bond deals, which offer investment alternatives though at a spread premium, and raise questions on long-term capex and debt needs in the broader ecosystem.”
From MarketWatch
"That was mega," the Australian shouted into his radio.
From Barron's
Suffice to say there’s a mega battle on the horizon.
From Los Angeles Times
The company recently recalled more than 100,000 Mega MPVs due to an issue with the coolant’s corrosion resistance.
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.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
