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meta- definition

meta- (met′ə)

change in position or form, alteration, transposition: metathesis, metasomatism
after: metapneumonic
behind, at the back: metanephros
Origin: < supposed analogy to metaphysics
going beyond or higher, transcending: used to form terms designating an area of study whose purpose is to examine the nature, assumptions, structure, etc. of a (specified) field: metalinguistics, metacriticism
between: metope
Chem.
1. a polymer of: metaldehyde
2. a derivative of: metaprotein
3. a less hydrated acid or salt: metaphosphoric acid
4. characterized by substitutions in the 1, 3 position in the benzene ring: usually italicized and hyphenated in chemical names: meta-aminobenzoic acid

Also (except for sense meta-), before a vowel, met-

Origin: < Gr meta, along with, after, between, among < IE *meta < base *me-, between > mid

meta- or met-

prefix

a. Later in time: metestrus.
b. At a later stage of development: metanephros.
Situated behind: metacarpus.
a. Change; transformation: metachromatism.
b. Alternation: metagenesis.
a. Beyond; transcending; more comprehensive: metalinguistics.
b. At a higher state of development: metazoan.
Having undergone metamorphosis: metasomatic.
a. Derivative or related chemical substance: metaprotein.
b. Of or relating to one of three possible isomers of a benzene ring with two attached chemical groups, in which the carbon atoms with attached groups are separated by one unsubstituted carbon atom: meta-dibromobenzene.

Origin: Greek, from meta, beside, after; see me-² in Indo-European roots.