rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: magnus
Latin

magnus

great or large

Forms

  • magnus
  • magn- — Used before other endings.
  • magni- — Used in some compounds.

Origin

An ancient Indo-European size word with relatives in Greek and Germanic.

Note

Size readily extends to importance, force, or esteem.

6 / 7
An isolated still life of a large-frame magnum revolver with its cylinder swung open and two matching cartridges beside it, illustrating the firearm-and-ammunition sense without people.
noun / adjective

magnum

MAG-num/ˈmæɡnəm/

An unusually powerful firearm cartridge.

Etymology
magnumLatingreat or large

Latin magnus conveys greatness in size or power, an idea applied to a powerful handgun. In this sense, the name emphasizes the power of the ammunition or the firearm using it.

Full entry

Related word entries