megaflop: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Computing
Quick answer
What does “megaflop” mean?
A unit of computing speed equal to one million floating-point operations per second.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A unit of computing speed equal to one million floating-point operations per second.
A measure of computer performance, particularly for scientific and engineering calculations; also used informally to describe a spectacular failure (play on 'flop').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in technical meaning. The pun on 'flop' (failure) is equally understood.
Connotations
Neutral in technical context; humorous/negative in informal pun usage.
Frequency
Technical usage is rare in general discourse. The pun is occasional in media/business commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “megaflop” in a Sentence
The computer achieves [NUMBER] megaflops.It is rated at [NUMBER] megaflops.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “megaflop” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The system can megaflop its way through complex simulations.
- (Rare as verb)
American English
- That new chip megaflops at an impressive rate.
- (Rare as verb)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
adjective
British English
- They aimed for a megaflop performance benchmark.
- (Rare as adjective)
American English
- It's a megaflop-capable processor.
- (Rare as adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in tech industries or humorous reference to a failed project.
Academic
Used in computer science, engineering, and physics to describe computational performance.
Everyday
Virtually never used in its technical sense; the pun might be understood.
Technical
Standard term in high-performance computing, though often superseded by gigaflop/teraflop.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “megaflop”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “megaflop”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “megaflop”
- Using 'megaflop' to mean 'megabyte'.
- Pronouncing it as /ˈmeɪɡəflɒp/ (with a long 'a').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a historical benchmark. Modern systems are measured in gigaflops, teraflops, or petaflops.
No, it is a noun. The related unit 'FLOPS' (floating-point operations per second) is also a noun.
A megaflop measures calculation speed. A megabyte measures data storage capacity. They are completely different units.
No, it is an informal, humorous pun and is not used in technical or formal writing with that meaning.
A unit of computing speed equal to one million floating-point operations per second.
Megaflop: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛɡəflɒp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛɡəflɑːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It was a megaflop of a product launch.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MEGA (huge) + FLOP (failure or floating-point op) = either a huge failure or a million operations.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEED IS QUANTITY (of operations); FAILURE IS A FALL (flop).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, technical meaning of 'megaflop'?