(symbol: M) A prefix indicating a multiple of one million (106), as in megahertz and megawatt. When the binary number system is used in a structure or process (as in semiconductor RAM or ROM), the prefix then indicates a multiple of 220, i.e. 1 048 576, as in megabyte or megabit. The context usually clarifies which meaning is intended, although being numerically close the meanings are often considered more or less equivalent. See also binary prefixes.