metalanguage

noun

meta·​lan·​guage ˈme-tə-ˌlaŋ-gwij How to pronounce metalanguage (audio)
: a language used to talk about language

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of metalanguage was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near metalanguage

Metal Age

metalanguage

metalate

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Metalanguage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metalanguage. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on metalanguage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about metalanguage

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of eighty-six

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games