PREFIX mega-
forms words that refer to units which are a million times bigger. For example, a megabyte is a million bytes.
mega|byte /me gəba I t/ (megabytes ) N‑COUNT In computing, a megabyte is one million bytes of data.
mega|hertz /me gəhɜː r ts/ (megahertz ) N‑COUNT [num N ] A megahertz is a unit of frequency, used especially for radio frequencies. One megahertz equals one million cycles per second. □ …UHF frequencies of around 900 megahertz.
mega|lo|ma|nia /me gələme I niə/ N‑UNCOUNT Megalomania is the belief that you are more powerful and important than you really are. Megalomania is sometimes a mental illness.
mega|lo|ma|ni|ac /me gələme I niæk/ (megalomaniacs ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] If you describe someone as a megalomaniac , you are criticizing them because they enjoy being powerful, or because they believe that they are more powerful or important than they really are. [DISAPPROVAL ]
mega|mall /me gəmɔːl, -mæl/ (megamalls ) also mega-mall N‑COUNT A megamall is a very large shopping area containing very many shops, cinemas, and restaurants.
mega|phone /me gəfoʊn/ (megaphones ) N‑COUNT A megaphone is a cone-shaped device for making your voice sound louder in the open air.
mega|pixel /me gəp I ks ə l/ N‑COUNT A megapixel is one million pixels: used as a measure of the quality of the picture created by a digital camera, scanner, or other device.
mega|ton /me gətʌn/ (megatons ) N‑COUNT [num N ] You can use megaton to refer to the power of a nuclear weapon. A one megaton bomb has the same power as one million tons of TNT.
mega|watt /me gəwɒt/ (megawatts ) N‑COUNT [num N ] A megawatt is a unit of power. One megawatt is a million watts. □ [+ of ] The project is designed to generate around 30 megawatts of power for the national grid.
meh /me / EXCLAM You can say meh to show that you do not care about something. [INFORMAL ] □ If I'm wrong about any of this, meh.
-meister /-ma I stə r / (-meisters ) COMB -meister combines with nouns to form nouns which refer to someone who is extremely good at a particular activity. □ The film–tautly directed by horror-meister Sam Raimi–is almost assured an Oscar nomination.
mel|an|cho|lia /me lənkoʊ liə/ N‑UNCOUNT Melancholia is a feeling of great sadness, especially one that lasts a long time. [LITERARY ] □ He sank into deep melancholia.
mel|an|chol|ic /me lənkɒ l I k/ (melancholics ) ADJ If you describe someone or something as melancholic , you mean that they are very sad. [LITERARY ] □ …his gentle, melancholic songs.
mel|an|choly /me lənkɒli/
1 ADJ You describe something that you see or hear as melancholy when it gives you an intense feeling of sadness. □ The only sounds were the distant, melancholy cries of the sheep.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Melancholy is an intense feeling of sadness which lasts for a long time and which strongly affects your behaviour and attitudes. [LITERARY ] □ I was deeply aware of his melancholy as he stood among the mourners.
3 ADJ If someone feels or looks melancholy , they feel or look very sad. [LITERARY ] □ It was in these hours of the late afternoon that Tom Mulligan felt most melancholy. □ He fixed me with those luminous, empty eyes and his melancholy smile.
me|lange /me I lɒ ndʒ/ (melanges ) also mélange N‑COUNT A melange of things is a mixture of them, especially when this is attractive or exciting. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] …a successful melange of music styles, from soul and rhythm and blues to rap. □ [+ of ] …a wonderful melange of flavours.
mela|nin /me lən I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Melanin is a dark substance in the skin, eyes, and hair of people and animals, which gives them colour and can protect them against strong sunlight.
mela|no|ma /me lənoʊ mə/ (melanomas ) N‑VAR A melanoma is an area of cancer cells in the skin which is caused by very strong sunlight.
me|lee /me le I , [AM ] me I -/ (melees ) also mêlée
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A melee is a noisy confusing fight between the people in a crowd. [WRITTEN ] □ A policeman was killed and scores of people were injured in the melee.
2 N‑SING A melee of things is a large, confusing, disorganized group of them. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] …the melee of streets around the waterfront.
mel|lif|lu|ous /m I l I fluəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A mellifluous voice or piece of music is smooth and gentle and very pleasant to listen to. [FORMAL ] □ I grew up around people who had wonderful, mellifluous voices.
mel|low /me loʊ/ (mellower , mellowest , mellows , mellowing , mellowed )
1 ADJ Mellow is used to describe things that have a pleasant, soft, rich colour, usually red, orange, yellow, or brown. □ …the softer, mellower light of evening.
2 ADJ A mellow sound or flavour is pleasant, smooth, and rich. □ His voice was deep and mellow. □ …a delightfully mellow, soft and balanced wine.
3 VERB If someone mellows or if something mellows them, they become kinder or less extreme in their behaviour, especially as a result of growing older. □ [V ] When the children married and had children of their own, he mellowed a little. □ [V n] Marriage had not mellowed him. ● ADJ Mellow is also an adjective. □ Is she more mellow and tolerant?
4 ADJ If someone is mellow , they feel very relaxed and cheerful, especially as the result of alcohol or good food. [INFORMAL ] □ He'd had a few glasses of champagne himself and was fairly mellow.
me|lod|ic /m I lɒ d I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Melodic means relating to melody. □ …Schubert's effortless gift for melodic invention. ● me|lodi|cal|ly /m I lɒ d I kli/ ADV □ …the third of Tchaikovsky's ten operas, and melodically one of his richest scores.