# meg

/ˈmɛɡ/ (US) · /mˈɛɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/meg
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. computing unit

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a short way to say megabyte, which is a unit of digital information.

For teachers: a clipping of megabyte, used informally to refer to data size or storage capacity.

- The file is only one meg, so it should download very quickly.
- Back when storage was expensive, fitting a high-resolution image into a single meg was considered a significant technical achievement.

Usage: Usually countable when referring to specific units of data.

### 2. football move

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

a move in football where you kick the ball through an opponent's legs.

For teachers: a clipping of nutmeg; the act of playing the ball between an opponent's legs to bypass them.

- The crowd cheered when the striker pulled off a cheeky meg on the defender.
- He attempted a meg in the final third, but the defender anticipated the move and intercepted the pass.

Usage: Commonly used in British English football culture.

### 3. to kick through legs

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

to kick the ball through another player's legs during a game.

For teachers: to perform a nutmeg; to pass the ball between the legs of an opposing player.

- I can't believe he managed to meg the goalkeeper from that angle.
- The winger is known for his ability to meg defenders in tight spaces, often leaving them flat-footed.

Usage: Transitive verb taking the player being bypassed as the direct object.

### 4. prehistoric shark

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a short name for the Megalodon, a giant shark that lived millions of years ago.

For teachers: a colloquial clipping of Megalodon, referring to the extinct species of giant mackerel shark.

- The movie is about a giant meg that attacks a research station.
- Paleontologists have recovered massive teeth that provide evidence of just how large a prehistoric meg could grow.

## Examples

- Hi, Meg, how are you today?
- The shopkeeper greeted every customer with a cheerful hello, Meg, to make them feel welcome.
- In the bustling market, the vendor called out to passersby, using the friendly term Meg to bridge the gap between stranger and friend.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.