Homonym: giga (Billion)
The term "giga" is a metric prefix that denotes a factor of one billion, or 10^9. It is commonly used in various fields, including computing and telecommunications, to describe large quantities. For example, a gigabyte (GB) is a unit of digital information storage equal to approximately one billion bytes.
In addition to computing, "giga" is also used in scientific contexts, such as measuring distances in astronomy. For instance, a gigameter (Gm) represents one billion meters. This prefix helps simplify communication about large numbers, making it easier to understand and compare vast quantities in everyday life and scientific research.