NYT Dictionary
MEGATON
/ˈmɛɡəˌtʌn/NounMEG-a-tonmeg-a-ton · 3 syllablesGrade 9
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2025
Meaning
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. (A derived unit for TNT equivalent.)
Etymology
Origin: Ancient Greek
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Hellenic *mégas Ancient Greek μέγᾰς (mégăs)der. English mega- English ton English megaton From mega- + ton.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle, including a pangram: