/meg'euh lee"zheuh, -sheuh, -see euh/, n. (sometimes used with a pl. v.)
an ancient Roman festival in honor of the Magna Mater. Also called Megalesian Games.
[ < L, short for megalesia (ludi) Megalesian (games), deriv. of Megale the great ( < Gk), surname of the Magna Mater]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.