The prefix macro- means large, long, or dealing with big-picture views of things. It comes from a Greek word meaning “large” or “long.”

In science, you might study things at the macro level, looking at whole systems rather than tiny details. While a biologist examining cells uses a microscope (micro- means small), someone studying entire forests or ecosystems works at the macroscopic level, observing patterns you can see with the naked eye.

In economics, macroeconomics studies entire economies: how whole countries produce and trade goods, what causes unemployment nationwide, or why prices rise everywhere at once. This contrasts with microeconomics, which examines individual businesses and consumers.

Photographers use a macro lens to take extreme close-ups that make small subjects appear large and detailed, like capturing every hair on a bee's body or the intricate patterns on a butterfly's wing.

You'll also see macro- in nutrition (macronutrients are the big three: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates), in computer programming (macros are commands that perform large sequences of actions), and in countless other fields. Whenever you see this prefix, think “big picture” or “large scale.”