Homonym: Giga- (Large)
The prefix "giga-" is a metric prefix that denotes a factor of one billion, or 10^9. It is commonly used in various fields, including science and technology, to describe large quantities. For example, in computing, a gigabyte (GB) represents approximately one billion bytes of data.
In addition to computing, "giga-" is also used in other contexts, such as in measuring distances in astronomy. For instance, a gigameter (Gm) equals one billion meters. This prefix helps simplify communication about large numbers, making it easier to understand and compare vast quantities.