Megadeath: meaning, definitions and examples
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megadeath
[ ˈmɛɡəˌdɛθ ]
quantity of death
A megadeath is a term used to describe the death of one million people, particularly in the context of nuclear warfare or large-scale military conflicts. It quantifies mass mortality rates and is often used in discussions about the potential consequences of devastating wars.
Synonyms
catastrophic loss, mass death, millions killed
Examples of usage
- The war resulted in millions of megadeaths.
- Historians estimate the conflict caused multiple megadeaths.
- The nuclear fallout could lead to countless megadeaths.
- Discussions of megadeath are central to debates on nuclear policy.
Translations
Translations of the word "megadeath" in other languages:
🇵🇹 megadeath
🇮🇳 मेगाडेथ
🇩🇪 Megadeath
🇮🇩 megadeath
🇺🇦 мегадет
🇵🇱 megadeath
🇯🇵 メガデス
🇫🇷 megadeath
🇪🇸 megadeath
🇹🇷 megadeath
🇰🇷 메가데스
🇸🇦 ميغاديث
🇨🇿 megadeath
🇸🇰 megadeath
🇨🇳 百万死亡
🇸🇮 megadeath
🇮🇸 megadeath
🇰🇿 мегадет
🇬🇪 მეგადეთ
🇦🇿 megadeath
🇲🇽 megadeath
Etymology
The term 'megadeath' was coined in the early 1960s, particularly during the Cold War when the possibility of nuclear warfare became a significant concern. It combines the prefix 'mega-', meaning one million, with 'death', referring to the loss of life. The word grew in usage as discussions around nuclear strategy and the potential consequences of a full-scale nuclear war entered public and academic discourse. In many ways, 'megadeath' encapsulated the fears of the age, suggesting a level of destruction that was previously unimagined. Its implications are particularly significant in studies of military history and the humanitarian impacts of war, highlighting the extensive loss of life that can result from modern warfare.