Main Entry: meta-

Variant(s): or met-

Function: prefix

Etymology: New Latin & Medieval Latin, from Latin or Greek; Latin, from Greek, among, with, after, from meta among, with, after; akin to Old English mid, mith with, Old High German mit

1 a : occurring later than or in succession to : after <metestrus> b : situated behind or beyond <metencephalon> <metacarpus> c : later or more highly organized or specialized form of <metaxylem>
2 : change : transformation <metaplasia>
3 [metaphysics] : more comprehensive : transcending <metapsychological> —usually used with the name of a discipline to designate a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one <metamathematics>
4 a : involving substitution at or characterized by two positions in the benzene ring that are separated by one carbon atom <meta-xylene> b : derived from by loss of water <metaphosphoric acid>