megaton

• megatonne

metric prefix mega- +‎ ton

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛɡəˌtʌn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

megaton (plural megatons)

1. A measure of the strength of an explosion or a bomb based on how many million tons of TNT would be needed to produce the same energy.
   • 1986, Kirk Thatcher, 44:05 from the start, in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home‎, Paramount Pictures, →OCLC:

     The sins of all our fathers, being dumped on us — the sons
     The only choice we're given is: How many megatons?
     And I eschew you!
     And I say: Screw you!
     And I hope you're blue, too.

   • 2022 September 19, Schultheiss et al., “The abundance, biomass, and distribution of ants on Earth”, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, page 1, column 2:

     Integrating data from all continents and major biomes, we conservatively estimate 20 × 1015 (20 quadrillion) ants on Earth, with a total biomass of 12 megatons of dry carbon.

2. One million tons.

• kiloton
• megatonnage

• Matengo, geomant, magneto, magneto-, metagon, montage

From English mega- +‎ ton.

megaton m (invariable)

1. megaton

• magneto-