meta-

meta- · prefix¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*me
2. Proto-Indo-European*meth₂?
3. Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
4. Ancient Greekμετᾰ- (metă-)
5. English todaymeta-

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”).

meta- · prefix²

Back-formation from metaphysics.

meta- · prefix³

Back-formation from metamorphism.

meta- · prefix⁴

Back-formation from metastasis.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• From 19th century Behind.
• From 19th century Later or subsequent.
• From 19th century Situated between two segments.
• From 19th century Having fewer molecules of water than the ortho- equivalent.
• From 1833 in isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in alternate (1,3) positions; contrasted with ortho- and para-.
• From 17th century 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 19th century Modified by metamorphosis; analogies and derivatives of metamorphism.