mega

See also: MEGA, Mega, méga, mêga, mëga, mêgâ, mega-, and méga-

English

Etymology

From the prefix mega-, from Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great, large, mighty”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛɡə/, /ˈmeɪɡə/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɡə, -eɪɡə

Adjective

mega (not comparable)

1. (informal) Very large.
   • 2004, Nigel Coates, Collidoscope: new interior design, page 26:

     Follow those in the know to the fifth floor of Sega's Joy Polis, a mega indoor amusement park that's part of the Odaiba Decks Tokyo Bay entertainment complex near Tange's Fuji Television building.

2. (slang) Great; excellent.
   • 1998, John Barwick, Targeting Text, page 25:

     We had a mega time until Peter fell in the fish pond and cut his leg.

   • 2011, Anna Wilson, Pup Idol: Top of the Pups:

     It was totally mega. The audience clapped and cheered when Teasel had finally finished. So did I.

   • July 15, 2011, Liam Gallagher, quoted at the launch of the new Manchester City F.C. kit

     I've been a City fan since I was a kid, so to be involved with the launch of a new kit is colossal. Manchester City fans are known for having a lot of style and the new shirt looks mega.

Related terms

• mega-

Translations

very large

• Finnish: mega- (fi), jättiläis- (fi)
• Greek: μέγας (el) (mégas)

great, excellent

• Finnish: mahtava (fi), erinomainen (fi)
• Greek: μέγας (el) (mégas)

Adverb

mega (comparative more mega, superlative most mega)

1. (informal) Extremely.

   mega-fun

   mega rich

Noun

mega (plural megas)

1. (birdwatching, informal) A megararity (extremely rare bird for a certain region).
   • 2017 June, Australian Birdlife, Carlton, Victoria, page 76, column 2:

     And, speaking of relative banalities, the recurring Semipalmated Plover at the Broom Sewage Works may have inured us slightly to the status of the species as a rare vagrant, but it was an undeniable "mega" when one was discovered on Lord Howe Island on 23 March.

2. (mathematics) The Steinhaus-Moser number ②

Coordinate terms

Steinhaus-Moser ②

• meganon
• megiston
• Steinhaus-Moser
• Steinhaus-Moser notation
• Steinhaus-Moser number

Anagrams

• game, mage

Alemannic German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /meɡ̊ɑ/, /meɡ̊ə/, /meːɡ̊ɑ/

Adverb

mega

1. (colloquial) very

   S Auto isch uu mega schnäll verbiigraast.

   The car drove by very quickly.

Usage notes

• Sometimes preceded by the intensifier uu. The other order *“mega uu” is not grammatical.

Synonyms

• uu
• seer
• huere (vulgar)

Balinese

Noun

mega

1. alternative spelling of méga

Catalan

Noun

mega f (plural megues)

1. clipping of megabyte

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɛɡa]

Noun

mega n

1. (informal) million

   Synonym: milión

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Danish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great, large, mighty”).

Adverb

mega

1. (informal) very

   Synonyms: herre, super

Dutch

Etymology

Back-formation from of words with the prefix mega-.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

mega (not comparable)

1. mega (huge)

   Antonym: mini

Declension

Declension of mega
uninflected	mega
inflected	mega
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		mega
indefinite	m./f. sing.	mega
	n. sing.	mega
	plural	mega
definite		mega
partitive		mega's

Esperanto

Esperanto ordinal numbers

	1,000,000a
Cardinal : meg     Ordinal : mega

Etymology

From meg +‎ -a.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡa/
• Rhymes: -eɡa
• Hyphenation: me‧ga

Adjective

mega (accusative singular megan, plural megaj, accusative plural megajn)

1. (neologism, rare, ordinal number) millionth

   Synonym: miliona

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse mega, from Proto-Germanic *maganą, from Proto-Indo-European *magʰ-, *megʰ-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeːa/

  Rhymes: -eːa

• IPA^(key): /ˈmiːja/

  Rhymes: -iːja

Verb

mega

1. must, may

Conjugation

Conjugation of mega (muga) (irregular)

infinitive	mega (muga)
supine	—
	present	past
first singular	má	mátti
second singular	mást	mátti
third singular	má	mátti
plural	mugu/mega	máttu
participle	—	—
	imperative
singular	—
plural	—

References

• Jóhan Hendrik W. Poulsen et al. (1998), “mega”, in Føroysk orðabók [Faroese Dictionary] (in Faroese), Tórshavn: Føroya Fróðskaparfelag

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡɑ/, [ˈme̞ɡɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -eɡɑ
• Syllabification^(key): me‧ga
• Hyphenation^(key): me‧ga

Noun

mega (colloquial)

1. (computing) ellipsis of megatavu (“megabyte”)
2. (computing) ellipsis of megabitti (“megabit”)

Declension

Inflection of mega (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		mega	megat
genitive		megan	megojen
partitive		megaa	megoja
illative		megaan	megoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		mega	megat
accusative	nom.	mega	megat
	gen.	megan
genitive		megan	megojen megain rare
partitive		megaa	megoja
inessive		megassa	megoissa
elative		megasta	megoista
illative		megaan	megoihin
adessive		megalla	megoilla
ablative		megalta	megoilta
allative		megalle	megoille
essive		megana	megoina
translative		megaksi	megoiksi
abessive		megatta	megoitta
instructive		—	megoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of mega (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative megani megani accusative nom. megani megani gen. megani genitive megani megojeni megaini rare partitive megaani megojani inessive megassani megoissani elative megastani megoistani illative megaani megoihini adessive megallani megoillani ablative megaltani megoiltani allative megalleni megoilleni essive meganani megoinani translative megakseni megoikseni abessive megattani megoittani instructive — — comitative — megoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative megasi megasi accusative nom. megasi megasi gen. megasi genitive megasi megojesi megaisi rare partitive megaasi megojasi inessive megassasi megoissasi elative megastasi megoistasi illative megaasi megoihisi adessive megallasi megoillasi ablative megaltasi megoiltasi allative megallesi megoillesi essive meganasi megoinasi translative megaksesi megoiksesi abessive megattasi megoittasi instructive — — comitative — megoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative megamme megamme accusative nom. megamme megamme gen. megamme genitive megamme megojemme megaimme rare partitive megaamme megojamme inessive megassamme megoissamme elative megastamme megoistamme illative megaamme megoihimme adessive megallamme megoillamme ablative megaltamme megoiltamme allative megallemme megoillemme essive meganamme megoinamme translative megaksemme megoiksemme abessive megattamme megoittamme instructive — — comitative — megoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative meganne meganne accusative nom. meganne meganne gen. meganne genitive meganne megojenne megainne rare partitive megaanne megojanne inessive megassanne megoissanne elative megastanne megoistanne illative megaanne megoihinne adessive megallanne megoillanne ablative megaltanne megoiltanne allative megallenne megoillenne essive megananne megoinanne translative megaksenne megoiksenne abessive megattanne megoittanne instructive — — comitative — megoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative megansa megansa accusative nom. megansa megansa gen. megansa genitive megansa megojensa megainsa rare partitive megaansa megojaan megojansa inessive megassaan megassansa megoissaan megoissansa elative megastaan megastansa megoistaan megoistansa illative megaansa megoihinsa adessive megallaan megallansa megoillaan megoillansa ablative megaltaan megaltansa megoiltaan megoiltansa allative megalleen megallensa megoilleen megoillensa essive meganaan meganansa megoinaan megoinansa translative megakseen megaksensa megoikseen megoiksensa abessive megattaan megattansa megoittaan megoittansa instructive — — comitative — megoineen megoinensa

German

Alternative forms

• mega-

Etymology

From the prefix mega-, originally youth slang.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /meɡa/

Adverb

mega

1. (colloquial) very, super, mega

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:sehr

   Das ist megaeinfach. ― It’s super easy.

   Er freute sich mega. ― He was super happy.

   • 2025 October 19, Ann-Kathrin Leclere, Alice von Lenthe, quoting Carlott Bru, “Zukunft des Journalismus: Die Ich-Geschichte”, in Die Tageszeitung: taz‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Gleichzeitig habe sie sich auch aus Überzeugung für den Journalismus entschieden. „Weil ich denke, dass seine Aufgabe mega wichtig ist für unsere Demokratie“.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

Often written together with the next word, as if compounding a new word, or analyzed as prefix.

Adjective

mega (indeclinable)

1. (slang, chiefly predicative) awesome, amazing

   Die Party gestern war mega. ― That party last night was awesome.

Related terms

• megamäßig

Further reading

• “mega” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse mega, from Proto-Germanic *maganą, from Proto-Indo-European *magʰ-, *megʰ-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeiːɣa/
• Rhymes: -eiːɣa

Verb

mega (preterite-present verb, third-person singular present indicative má, third-person singular past indicative mátti, supine mátt)

1. to be allowed, to be permitted, may [intransitive or with accusative]

   Synonym: hafa leyfi til

   Þú mátt þetta ekki. ― You're not allowed to do that.

   Hvað má bjóða ykkur að borða? ― What may offer you to eat?

2. (intransitive) must, to have to

   Synonym: verða

3. to have the strength, to be able

   Synonym: megna

Conjugation

mega – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mega
supine sagnbót		mátt
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		megandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	má	mátti		megi	mætti
	þú	mátt	máttir		megir	mættir
	hann, hún, það	má	mátti		megi	mætti
plural	við	megum	máttum		megum	mættum
	þið	megið	máttuð		megið	mættuð
	þeir, þær, þau	mega	máttu		megi	mættu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	—
plural	þið	—

Derived terms

• eins og nærri má geta
• má vera
• mega betur (“to have the upper hand”)
• mega ekki
• mega ekki hugsa til
• mega ekki vamm sitt vita (“to be concerned about one's reputation”)
• mega lengi lifa
• mega sín ekki við (“to not manage something”)
• mega sín mikils
• mega sín mikils (“have a lot of influence, to be powerful”)
• mega til (“to must, to have to”)
• mega vera að
• mega vera að (“to have the time to do”)

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay mega, from Sanskrit मेघ (megha).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡa/ [ˈme.ɡa]
• Rhymes: -eɡa
• Syllabification: me‧ga

Noun

mega (plural mega-mega)

1. (poetic, rare) synonym of awan (“cloud”)

Further reading

• “mega”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Javanese

Romanization

mega

1. dated spelling of méga, romanization of ꦩꦺꦒ

Malay

Etymology

From Sanskrit मेघ (megha, “cloud”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡa/ [ˈme.ɡa]
• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡə/ [ˈme.ɡə]
• Rhymes: -eɡa
• Hyphenation: me‧ga

Noun

mega (Jawi spelling ميݢ, plural mega-mega or mega²)

1. synonym of awan (“cloud”)

Descendants

• > Indonesian: mega (inherited)

Further reading

• “mega”, in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu [Malay Literary Reference Centre] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *meganą, *maganą.

Verb

mega

1. to be able to

   ek vætr hánum / vinna máttak.

   I was not at all able to struggle against him.

2. must, may

   ok má at hans menn fari á land,

   and it may be that his men are coming ashore

Conjugation

Conjugation of mega (preterite-present)

infinitive	mega
present participle	megandi
past participle	megat, mátt
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	má	mátta		mega	mætta
2nd person singular	mátt	máttir		megir	mættir
3rd person singular	má	mátti		megi	mætti
1st person plural	megum	máttum		megim	mættim
2nd person plural	meguð	máttuð		megið	mættið
3rd person plural	megu	máttu		megi	mætti
imperative	present
2nd person singular	meg
1st person plural	megum
2nd person plural	meguð

Descendants

• Icelandic: mega
• Faroese: mega
• Norwegian Nynorsk: moga; (dialectal) mågå, måga, mòge
• Old Danish: mughu, mughe
• Old Swedish: magha, mugha, mogha
  • Swedish: må
• ⇒ Old Norse: mátti
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: måtta (infinitive), måtte
  • Norwegian Bokmål: måtte (also infinitive)
  • Old Swedish: mātte, māte
    • Swedish: måtte
  • Danish: måtte (also infinitive)
• ⇒ Old Norse: má
  • Icelandic: má
  • Faroese: má
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: må
  • Norwegian Bokmål: må
  • Old Swedish: mā
    • Swedish: må
  • Danish: må

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “mega”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from English mega.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.ɡa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɡa
• Syllabification: me‧ga
• Homophone: mega-

Adjective

mega (not comparable, indeclinable, no derived adverb)

1. (colloquial) awesome, great, cool

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:dobry

Adverb

mega (not comparable)

1. (colloquial) awesome, great, cool

Further reading

• mega in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.ɡɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.ɡɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.ɡa/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.ɡɐ/ [ˈmɛ.ɣɐ]

• Hyphenation: me‧ga

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great, large, mighty”).

Adverb

mega

1. (informal) very, super (intensifier)

   Synonyms: muito, super

Etymology 2

Noun

mega m (plural megas or mega)

1. clipping of megabyte

Etymology 3

Noun

mega m (plural megas)

1. (colloquial) clipping of mega hair

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɡa/ [ˈme.ɣ̞a]
• Rhymes: -eɡa
• Syllabification: me‧ga

Etymology 1

Noun

mega f (plural megas)

1. clipping of megabyte

Etymology 2

Adjective

mega f

1. feminine singular of mego

Further reading

• “mega”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024

Sundanese

Noun

mega

1. alternative spelling of méga