meta- meaning: definition, etymology

meta-

prefix

UK /mɪˈta/ · US /məˈtæ/

Etymology Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek μετα- (meta-), from μετά (metá), from Mycenaean Greek 𐀕𐀲 (me-ta), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *meth₂ (“in the middle”).

Anatomy, Biology, Medicine, Natural sciences, Sciences, Zoology Morpheme Behind.

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences, Zoology Morpheme Later or subsequent.

Architecture, Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Morpheme, Obsolete Situated between two segments.

Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Morpheme Having fewer molecules of water than the ortho- equivalent.

Chemistry, Natural sciences, Organic chemistry, Physical sciences Morpheme in isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in alternate (1,3) positions; contrasted with ortho- and para-.

Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Morpheme Relating to metabolism.

Related terms: protero-

meta-

prefix

Etymology Back-formation from metaphysics.

Morpheme Transcending, encompassing.

Morpheme Pertaining to a level above or beyond; reflexive or recursive; about itself or about other things of the same type. For example, metadata is data that describes data, metalanguage is language that describes language, etc.

Morpheme Having analogies with metaphysics.

Related terms: epi-

meta-

prefix

Etymology Back-formation from metamorphism.

Geography, Geology, Natural sciences Morpheme Modified by metamorphosis; analogies and derivatives of metamorphism.

meta-

prefix

Etymology Back-formation from metastasis.

Medicine, Pathology, Sciences Morpheme Consequent on.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.