MG
Abbreviation with 8 meanings
| Stands for | Milligram |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 8 |
| Categories | Units & Measurements, Military, Medical, Arts & Entertainment, Organizations & Companies, Geography & Places |
| Also written | Mg, mg |
MG has eight meanings. The most common are Milligram (metric and SI unit) and Major General (US Army) (US Army rank); it can also stand for Magnesium, Myasthenia gravis, Machine gun, Middle grade and Morris Garages, plus 1 more listed below.
Meanings of MG at a glance
| # | MG stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milligram | Units & Measurements › Metric and SI Unit |
| 2 | Major General (US Army) | Military › US Army Rank |
| 3 | Magnesium | Medical › Laboratory Test |
| 4 | Myasthenia gravis | Medical › Neurology |
| 5 | Machine gun | Military › Weapon and Military Equipment |
| 6 | Middle grade | Arts & Entertainment › Publishing and Book |
| 7 | Morris Garages | Organizations & Companies › Company and Brand |
| 8 | Madagascar | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. Milligram (mg)
Units & Measurements · Metric and SI Unit Abbreviations
The standard unit for tablet strengths, vitamin content and sodium on nutrition labels, equal to a thousandth of a gram. A regular adult aspirin tablet contains 325 mg, and the US Daily Value for sodium is 2,300 mg.
Example: Take one 200 mg ibuprofen tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
In prescriptions mg must be written clearly and never confused with mcg, which is a thousand times smaller. Safety rules also forbid trailing zeros (5 mg, not 5.0 mg), because a missed decimal point can cause a tenfold overdose. Liquid medicines are labeled in mg/mL, US blood tests in mg/dL, and weight-based pediatric doses in mg/kg.
2. Major General (US Army)
Military · US Army Rank Abbreviations
Army two-star general rank, pay grade O-8, usually held by division commanders and by commanders of major schools, centers and commands. It is the highest permanent general officer grade; three- and four-star ranks are temporary and tied to specific positions.
Example: MG Okoye took command of the division in a ceremony attended by the corps commander.
A major general is outranked by a lieutenant general, the reverse of major and lieutenant. The usual explanation is that the title began as "sergeant major general," the officer who formed the army for battle, and was later shortened. The Air Force writes Maj Gen and the Marine Corps MajGen. MG also abbreviates machine gun.
3. Magnesium (Mg)
Medical · Laboratory Test Abbreviations · also used in science
Essential mineral for nerve conduction, muscle contraction and heart rhythm, with a typical serum range of about 1.7 to 2.2 mg/dL. Low levels are common with alcohol use, diuretics, diarrhea and long-term proton pump inhibitors, and they can trigger arrhythmias including torsades de pointes.
Example: Mg 1.3; giving 2 g magnesium sulfate IV before repleting potassium.
Only about 1 percent of the body's magnesium circulates in blood, so a normal serum level can coexist with depleted stores. Low magnesium causes potassium wasting and blocks parathyroid hormone release, which is why hypokalemia and hypocalcemia may not correct until magnesium is replaced. Clinicians often say "mag", and Mg is also the chemical symbol for the element.
4. Myasthenia gravis
Medical · Neurology Abbreviations
Autoimmune disease in which antibodies block communication between nerves and muscles, causing weakness that worsens with activity and improves with rest. Drooping eyelids and double vision are typical first symptoms, and weakness can spread to the face, throat, limbs and breathing muscles.
Example: Fatigable ptosis and diplopia, AChR antibodies positive; MG, starting pyridostigmine.
About 85 percent of people with generalized MG have acetylcholine receptor antibodies, while others have MuSK or LRP4 antibodies. Thymectomy improves outcomes in nonthymomatous disease, as the MGTX trial showed in 2016, and newer treatments include FcRn blockers and complement inhibitors. Myasthenic crisis, with respiratory failure, is an emergency. Lowercase mg means milligram.
5. Machine gun
Military · Weapon and Military Equipment Abbreviations
Fully automatic weapon that fires rifle-caliber or larger ammunition continuously while the trigger is held, usually belt-fed and used for sustained fire from bipods, tripods, vehicles and aircraft.
Example: The MG team set up on the hill to cover the platoon's approach.
Common US machine guns include the 7.62mm M240 and the .50-caliber M2, nicknamed "Ma Deuce," in service since 1933. Machine guns transformed warfare in World War I. In rank usage, MG means major general in the Army.
6. Middle grade
Arts & Entertainment · Publishing and Book Abbreviations
Book category for readers roughly 8 to 12, between chapter books and young adult fiction. Protagonists are usually 10 to 13 years old.
Example: Her MG adventure series is popular with fourth and fifth graders.
Middle-grade books avoid most of the romance and mature content found in YA. Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Percy Jackson are bestselling examples. In the car world MG is a British automobile brand.
7. Morris Garages
Organizations & Companies · Company and Brand Abbreviations
British-founded car brand, now owned by China's SAIC Motor, selling affordable SUVs and electric cars in Europe, Australia and Asia. Historically famous for small British sports cars.
Example: The MG4 is one of the cheapest electric hatchbacks in Britain.
Grew out of Morris Garages, a dealership in Oxford owned by William Morris, where manager Cecil Kimber built the first MG sports cars in the 1920s. The brand passed through British Leyland and MG Rover before Nanjing Automobile bought it in 2005; SAIC took over in 2007.
8. Madagascar
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
World's fourth-largest island, with Antananarivo as its capital and MDG as its alpha-3 code. Most of its wildlife, including all lemurs, is found nowhere else, and it is the world's leading producer of vanilla.
Example: Vanilla prices spiked after a cyclone damaged plantations in MG.
In lowercase mg means milligram, and Mg is magnesium. The ariary, Madagascar's currency, is one of two non-decimal currencies in circulation.
Related abbreviations
More metric and SI unit abbreviations
- L – Liter
- ly – Light-year
- m – Meter
- mcg – Microgram
- MKS – Meter-kilogram-second system
- mL – Milliliter
- mm – Millimeter
- mmol – Millimole
See all 64 metric and SI unit abbreviations →
More US Army rank abbreviations
- LT – Lieutenant (US Navy and Coast Guard)
- LTC – Lieutenant Colonel (US Army)
- LTG – Lieutenant General (US Army)
- MAJ – Major (US Army)
- MSG – Master Sergeant
- PFC – Private First Class (US Army)
- PV2 – Private (E-2)
- PVT – Private (US Army)
See all 34 US Army rank abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.