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adjective

  1. pertaining to or noting a story, conversation, character, etc., that consciously references or comments upon its own subject or features, often in the form of parody:

    A movie about making a movie is just so meta—especially when the actors criticize the acting.

  2. pertaining to or noting an abstract, high-level analysis or commentary, especially one that consciously references something of its own type.

noun

  1. a consciously and playfully self-referential story, conversation, etc.:

    That dialogue was an example of meta at its best.

  2. an abstract, high-level analysis or commentary:

    writing a meta to explain the character’s motivation.

verb (used without object)

  1. to analyze or comment on something in a meta way:

    I spend more time metaing about the show than actually watching it.

  1. (in ancient Rome) a column or post, or a group of columns or posts, placed at each end of a racetrack to mark the turning places.

  1. pertaining to or occupying two positions (1, 3) in the benzene ring that are separated by one carbon atom.

noun

  1. a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, with the meanings “after,” “along with,” “beyond,” “among,” “behind,” and productive in English on the Greek model:

    metacarpus; metagenesis.

  2. a prefix added to the name of a subject and designating another subject that analyzes the original one but at a more abstract, higher level:

    metaphilosophy; metalinguistics.

  3. a prefix added to the name of something that consciously references or comments upon its own subject or features:

    a meta-painting of an artist painting a canvas.

    1. (of acids, salts, or their organic derivatives) a prefix denoting the least hydrated of a series:

      Compare ortho-,

      pyro-.

      meta-antimonic, HSbO3;

      meta-antimonous, HSbO2.

    2. a prefix designating the meta position in the benzene ring.

      :

      m-.

      Compare ortho-,

      para- 1.

prefix

  1. indicating change, alteration, or alternation

  2. (of an academic discipline, esp philosophy) concerned with the concepts and results of the named discipline

    See also metatheory

    metamathematics

    meta-ethics

  3. occurring or situated behind or after

    metaphase

  4. often in italics

    denoting that an organic compound contains a benzene ring with substituents in the 1,3-positions

    m-

    Compare ortho- para- 1

    meta-cresol

    metadinitrobenzene

  5. denoting an isomer, polymer, or compound related to a specified compound (often differing from similar compounds that are prefixed by para- )

    metaldehyde

  6. denoting an oxyacid that is a lower hydrated form of the anhydride or a salt of such an acid

    Compare ortho-

    metaphosphoric acid

/ ˈmeɪtə; ˈmeta /

noun

  1. a river in Colombia, rising in the Andes and flowing northeast and east, forming part of the border between Colombia and Venezuela, to join the Orinoco River. Length: about 1000 km (620 miles)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of meta2

First recorded in

1580–90;

from Latin mēta “cone, turning post”

Origin of meta3

First recorded in

1875–80;

independent use of meta-

Origin of meta4

First recorded in

2010–15

Origin of meta5

From Greek, prefix and preposition; cognate with Old English mid “with,” German mit, Gothic mith

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Word History and Origins

Origin of meta1

Greek, from meta with, after, between, among. Compare Old English mid, mith with, Old Norse meth with, between