noun
mag
MAG
noun
1
Short, informal word for a magazine.
"She picked up a mag at the newsstand to read on the train."
"The gossip mags ran the story on their front covers."
2
Slang for a magazine of ammunition that feeds a firearm.
"He swapped in a fresh mag before the drill continued."
verb
1
Old slang meaning to chat or talk idly.
"They sat magging on the porch for hours."
How to Use Mag
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCasual short form of "magazine" — either the reading kind or the ammo kind.
Common mistake
Context decides the meaning: "gossip mag" is a publication, "reload the mag" is ammunition.
Common pairings
gossip mag
glossy mag
reload the mag
Word Forms
magged past tense, mags plural, Mags plural, mags singular
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She picked up a _____ at the newsstand to read on the train.
Etymology
The publication sense is a clipping of "magazine"; the older British dialect verb sense traces to "Mag," a pet form of the name Margaret, once associated with a talkative woman.