megawatt

American  

[meg-uh-wot] / ˈmɛg əˌwɒt /

noun

Electricity.

1. a unit of power, equal to one million watts. MW

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megawatt British  

/ ˈmɛɡəˌwɒt /

noun

1.  MW.  one million watts

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megawatt Cultural  

1. A unit of power: one million watts. A typical large electrical generating plant can produce a thousand megawatts of electricity.

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Etymology

Origin of megawatt

First recorded in 1895–1900; mega- + watt

Example Sentences

“Densification reduces capex per megawatt, CDC builds on industrial sites with limited community opposition, and contractual protections help mitigate Neocloud risk,” analyst Phil Campbell says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

It’s a query that McCarthy, who came of age — and amassed megawatt fame — as a 1980s heartthrob in films like “Class” and “Pretty in Pink” before transitioning to feted author, longs to address.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Natural-gas prices are currently around €50 a megawatt hour.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The Tesla megawatt charging system features liquid-cooled cables.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

And then that megawatt smile that belonged on cereal boxes across the nation reappeared.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray