metadata
noun
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How Metadata Was Formed
It's easy to find data on the source of "metadata": the word was formed by combining "data" with "meta-," which means "transcending" and is often used to describe a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one. "Meta-" was first used in that way in "metaphysics" and has been extended to a number of other disciplines, giving us such words as "metapsychology" and "metamathematics." "Metadata" takes the "transcending" aspect a step further, applying it to the concept of pure information instead of a discipline. "Metadata" is a fairly new word (it appeared in the latter half of the 20th century), whereas "data" can be traced back to the middle of the 17th century.
Examples of metadata in a Sentence
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
This includes analyzing your email content and metadata to personalize your experience.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
The notice on the company website was not dated, but its metadata showed it was compiled on Saturday.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
Unlike other messaging apps, Signal offers full encryption, meaning that communications over the app are only accessible to the sender and the receiver (Signal itself does not retain message content or much metadata that could be used to identify a user).
—Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for metadata
Cite this Entry
“Metadata.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metadata. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
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