giga-
prefixUK /ˈɡɪɡ.ə/ · US /ˈɡɪɡ.ə/
Etymology From Ancient Greek γίγας (gígas, “giant”); cognate to giant.
1
Morpheme In the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10⁹ (short scale billion or long scale milliard).
- giga- + watt → gigawatt ("one billion watts")
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Morpheme, Proscribed, Sometimes Multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 2³⁰ or 1,073,741,824.
3
Morpheme, Slang Augmenting an adjective; intensely, extremely, or to an exceptionally high degree.
- Wow, I am giga-jealous right now.
4
Internet, Morpheme Used to augment nouns; denoting an invididual who is a paragon of something.
- giga- + Chad → gigachad
- giga- + Stacy → gigastacy
- Related terms
- billion, previous: mega-, next: tera-