metasoma

M3E1T1A1S1O1M3A1

noun

The posterior part of the three-part body-structure of many arthropods, the other two parts being prosoma and mesosoma.

OriginEnglish soma ← Ancient Greek μετᾰ- (metă-) ← Proto-Indo-European *meth₂? →
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Meanings

nounmetasoma (plural metasomas)

plural metasomas

  1. biologyThe posterior part of the three-part body-structure of many arthropods, the other two parts being prosoma and mesosoma.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*me
  2. Proto-Indo-European*meth₂?
  3. Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
  4. Ancient Greekμετᾰ- (metă-)
  5. Englishmeta-
  6. Englishsoma
  7. Englishmetasoma

From meta- + soma.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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