metacognition

M3E1T1A1C3O1G2N1I1T1I1O1N1

noun

The act of thinking about thinking.

Similar
metathinkingmetathought
OriginEnglish cognition ← Middle English cognicioun ← Latin cognitiō →
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounmetacognition (countable and uncountable, plural metacognitions)

plural metacognitions

  1. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe act of thinking about thinking.

    Synonyms: metathinking, metathought

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe act of thinking about thinking.

Similar
metathinkingmetathought
Also see
metathought

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*me
  2. Proto-Indo-European*meth₂?
  3. Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
  4. Ancient Greekμετᾰ- (metă-)
  5. Englishmeta-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  7. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  8. Proto-Italic*kom
  9. Proto-Italic*kom-
  10. Latincon-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*ǵneh₃-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*ǵn̥h₃sḱéti
  13. Proto-Italic*gnōskō
  14. Latingnōscō
  15. Latincognōscō
  16. Latincognitiō
  17. Middle Englishcognicioun
  18. Englishcognition
  19. Englishmetacognition

From meta- + cognition.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan metacognició
  • metacognicióthinking about thinking
Chinese Mandarin 後設認知 /后设认知, 元認知 /元认知
  • 後設認知 /后设认知 (hòushè rènzhī)thinking about thinking
  • 元認知 /元认知 (yuánrènzhī)thinking about thinking
Estonian metakognitsioon
  • metakognitsioonthinking about thinking
Finnish metakognitio
  • metakognitiothinking about thinking
French métacognition
  • métacognitionthinking about thinking
German Metakognition
  • Metakognitionthinking about thinking
Italian metacognizione
  • metacognizionethinking about thinking
Japanese メタ認知
  • メタ認知 (meta ninchi)thinking about thinking
Polish metakognicja
  • metakognicjathinking about thinking
Portuguese metacognição
  • metacogniçãothinking about thinking
Spanish metacognición
  • metacogniciónthinking about thinking
Swedish metakognition
  • metakognitionthinking about thinking
Vietnamese siêu nhận thức
  • siêu nhận thứcthinking about thinking
Cite this entry
APA

metacognition. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metacognition

MLA

“metacognition.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metacognition. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metacognition,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metacognition.

Source: metacognition on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.