gigaton
- noun
- /ˈɡɪɡəˌtɑn/
- Informal
:
gigatonelada
- The 565 gigatons is how many drinks you could have and still stay below that limit—the six beers, say, you might consume in an evening.
Examples
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The climate report warned that humanity needs to reduce carbon emissions by at least one gigaton annually to combat global warming.
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And that, so that one gigaton per year is kind of the century scale sustainable level in, in the most extreme kind of case.
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Scientists estimate that the melting ice sheets are releasing around three gigatons of water into the ocean each year.
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To effectively reduce pollution levels, the city has set a target to cut waste by five gigatons over the next decade.
Synonyms
417
1.0
A very large number used to mean a lot without an exact count
151
2.5
A very large, not exact number used to say there are many
56
3.2
A very large, not exact number used to show exaggeration
24
7.0
A very large unknown number used to say something is much bigger than it is
8
5.6
A very large number that people use to show a lot
8
8.1
A very large number that people use to show exaggeration
1
2.1
A very large amount of something, often many people or things
Very large in number with no exact amount and said as a joke
A made-up very large number that people use to mean a lot of things
A very large amount said in a rude, informal way
A very large not exact number people use to mean a huge amount
A very large number used to mean a huge, not exact amount
Antonyms
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
gigaton = ton (transparent) = giga + ton
The figurative use extends the literal unit to mean 'an extremely large amount', which is a predictable extension of the compositional meaning.
Etymology
Gigaton is also used to mean an extremely large amount. A helpful way to remember this is that giga- means 'giant' and ton means 'a large weight', so calling something a 'gigaton' is a way to say there is a very, very large amount.