meta-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "meta"

English

Alternative forms

met- (prevocalic)

Pronunciation

(UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛt.ə/, /ˌmɛt.ə/

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<!==Meet-uh-->

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(General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈmet.ə/, /ˌmet.ə/

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

Only relating to metabolism:

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mɪˈta/
(General American) IPA^(key): /məˈtæ/
(General Australian) IPA^(key): /mɪˈtæ/

Prefix

meta-

(anatomy and zoology) Behind. [From 19th century]
(botany and zoology) Later or subsequent. [From 19th century]
(obsolete, architecture and zoology) Situated between two segments. [From 19th century]
(chemistry) Having fewer molecules of water than the ortho- equivalent. [From 19th century]
(organic chemistry) in isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in alternate (1,3) positions; contrasted with ortho- and para-. [From 1833]
(biochemistry) Relating to metabolism.

Translations

anatomy, zoology: behind

Finnish: meta- (fi)
French: méta- (fr)
Greek: μετα- (el) (meta-)
Russian: ме́та- (ru) (méta-)
Spanish: mala (es)

botany, zoology: later or subsequent

Finnish: meta- (fi)
Greek: μετα- (el) (meta-)
Russian: ме́та- (ru) (méta-)

chemistry: having fewer molecules of water than the ortho- equivalent

Finnish: meta- (fi)
Greek: μετα- (el) (meta-)
Russian: ме́та- (ru) (méta-)
Spanish: meta- (es)

chemistry: contrasted with ortho- and para-

Finnish: meta- (fi)
French: méta- (fr)
Greek: μετα- (el) (meta-)
Japanese: メタ (ja) (meta-)
Russian: ме́та- (ru) (méta-)
Spanish: meta- (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Finnish: meta- (fi)
German: ^{(please verify)} meta- (de)
Icelandic: ^{(please verify)} lýsi-
Irish: ^{(please verify)} meiti-
Italian: ^{(please verify)} meta- (it)
Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 超 (ja) (ちょう, chō)
Persian: ^{(please verify)} فرا (fa) (farâ), ^{(please verify)} متا (metâ)
Romanian: ^{(please verify)} meta- (ro)
Spanish: ^{(please verify)} meta- (es)

Etymology 2

Back-formation from metaphysics.

Prefix

meta-

Transcending, encompassing.
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. [From 17th century]
Having analogies with metaphysics.