noun a prefix added to the name of a subject to indicate a higher level of abstraction
adjective relating to or denoting a higher level of abstraction
The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality. Used in philosophy.
Data that provides information about other data, such as file size, date created, author, etc. Used in computer science and information technology.
Thinking about one's own thinking processes. Used in psychology and education.
A statistical technique for combining the findings from multiple studies to increase statistical power. Used in research and academia.
The branch of ethics that explores the nature of ethical properties, statements, attitudes, and judgments. Used in philosophy.
In literature, 'meta' refers to self-referential writing that comments on its own narrative or structure. Writers may use metafiction, metadrama, or metapoetry to explore themes of storytelling, authorship, and reality.
In psychology, 'meta' is used to describe higher-order thinking about thinking. Psychologists may study metacognition, metatherapy, or metaresearch to understand how individuals reflect on and regulate their own cognitive processes.
In filmmaking, 'meta' can refer to movies that are self-aware or reference other films. Filmmakers may create metafilms or metacinema to play with genre conventions, break the fourth wall, or comment on the medium itself.
In music, 'meta' can describe songs or albums that reflect on the music industry or the creative process. Musicians may produce metasongs or metarecords that challenge traditional notions of genre or authenticity.
In software development, 'meta' often refers to metadata or data about data. Developers may work with metaprogramming, metaclasses, or metaprogramming to create flexible and extensible code that can manipulate its own structure.