| a combining form meaning “large,” “long,” “great,” “excessive,” used in the formation of compound words, contrasting with micro-: macrocosm; macrofossil; macrograph; macroscopic. |
| macro- or macr- pref.
[Greek makro-, from makros, large; see māk- in Indo-European roots.] |
macro- or macr-
pref.
Large: macronucleus.
Long: macrobiotic.
Inclusive: macroamylase.
macro-
Prefix large. Opposite of micro-. In the mainstream and among other technical cultures (for example, medical people) this competes with the prefix mega-, but hackers tend to restrict the latter to quantification.
[The Jargon File]