See meta in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "self-referential"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "meta-",
"nocap": "1",
"pos": "prefix"
},
"expansion": "back-formation of meta- (prefix)",
"name": "bf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming adjective"
},
"expansion": "sense 2",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "clipping",
"2": "clippings"
},
"expansion": "clippings",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Adjective sense 1 is a back-formation of meta- (prefix).\nAdjective sense 2 is derived from noun sense 1.\nThe noun senses are clippings of various terms beginning with meta (prefix).\nFolk etymology for noun sense 1 also suggests an acronym for most effective/efficient tactic available.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "metas",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "meta (plural metas)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metagame"
}
],
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Video games",
"orig": "en:Video games",
"parents": [
"Games",
"Mass media",
"Software",
"Recreation",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Computing",
"Human activity",
"Society",
"Communication",
"Technology",
"Human behaviour",
"All topics",
"Human",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "I don't think the character will be part of the meta even with the recent buffs.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2022 November 17, Carver Fisher, “League of Legends preseason 13 has made tanks unkillable”, in Dexerto:",
"text": "The phrase, “tank meta”, is one that carries a lot of weight when it comes to MOBAs. These metas are generally characterized by tanky, unkillable behemoths dominating the meta and leaving any character that isn’t focused around raw DPS in the dust.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metagame."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-en:gaming_noun",
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
],
[
"metagame",
"metagame#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Clipping of metagame."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming noun"
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Video games",
"orig": "en:Video games",
"parents": [
"Games",
"Mass media",
"Software",
"Recreation",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Computing",
"Human activity",
"Society",
"Communication",
"Technology",
"Human behaviour",
"All topics",
"Human",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "17 5 7 17 20 20 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English back-formations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "25 3 4 15 14 28 10",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "22 5 6 18 15 23 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "20 7 9 15 16 20 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Each video sharing platform's community has a meta on how long videos should be.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2023 October 27, 29:51 from the start, in Hard Fork (podcast), spoken by Kevin Roose, The New York Times:",
"text": "I remember interviewing PewDiePie a few years ago, and he was sort of telling me about this time where it was like edgy videos were being really rewarded, so everyone was kind of chasing like edgy humor and edgy memes, and sort of trying to figure out where the edge was. And then YouTube changed the meta, and suddenly, it wasn’t good to be edgy, you weren't weren’t going to make as much money or get as many views.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metagame.",
"An informal but widely adopted practice in a given field; a de facto standard."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-en:gaming_noun1",
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
],
[
"metagame",
"metagame#English"
],
[
"Internet",
"Internet"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"de facto",
"de facto"
],
[
"standard",
"standard#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Clipping of metagame.",
"(by extension, countable, Internet slang) An informal but widely adopted practice in a given field; a de facto standard."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming noun"
],
"tags": [
"Internet",
"broadly",
"countable"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metaoidioplasty"
}
],
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "17 5 7 17 20 20 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English back-formations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "25 3 4 15 14 28 10",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "22 5 6 18 15 23 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "20 7 9 15 16 20 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metaoidioplasty."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-SXQNcfjj",
"links": [
[
"metaoidioplasty",
"metaoidioplasty#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Clipping of metaoidioplasty."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"informal"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metamour"
}
],
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Polyamory",
"orig": "en:Polyamory",
"parents": [
"Love",
"Romantic orientations",
"Sexual orientations",
"Emotions",
"Virtue",
"LGBTQ",
"Sexuality",
"Mind",
"Ethics",
"Human behaviour",
"Sex",
"Human",
"Philosophy",
"All topics",
"Reproduction",
"Fundamental",
"Life",
"Nature"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "17 5 7 17 20 20 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English back-formations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "25 3 4 15 14 28 10",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "22 5 6 18 15 23 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "20 7 9 15 16 20 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metamour."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-rnC6kb8X",
"links": [
[
"metamour",
"metamour#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Clipping of metamour."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"informal"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"extra": "metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue",
"word": "metanalysis"
}
],
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "17 5 7 17 20 20 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English back-formations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "22 5 6 18 15 23 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "20 7 9 15 16 20 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "7 5 4 7 5 5 44 2 20",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Fan fiction",
"orig": "en:Fan fiction",
"parents": [
"Fandom",
"Fiction",
"Literature",
"Culture",
"Artistic works",
"Entertainment",
"Writing",
"Society",
"Art",
"Human behaviour",
"Language",
"All topics",
"Human",
"Communication",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 3 3 3 3 2 73 3 9",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Fandom",
"orig": "en:Fandom",
"parents": [
"Culture",
"Society",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2014, Jay Schnorrer, \"Adding to Narration and The Johnlock Conspiracy – The Meaning of Digital Media for BBC's Sherlock\", paper submitted to Freie Universität Berlin (link)",
"text": "Many metas on Tumblr incorporate GIFs of scenes they are referencing as well as screencaps."
},
{
"ref": "2018, Sarah Leiser, \"Throne of Fans: Examining the Roles of Feminism, Platform and Community in an Online Fandom\", thesis submitted to the University of Denver, page 84",
"text": "Fans create their own stories and media representation through fan fiction. They challenge the feminism in the [Sarah J. Maas] books through discussions and metas."
},
{
"ref": "2020, Elizabeth Minkel, quoted in \"Under the Radar: A Conversation about Tumblr in the Public Sphere\", in A Tumblr Book: Platform and Cultures (eds. Allison McCracken, Alexander Cho, Louisa Stein, and Indira Neill Hoch), page 64",
"text": "It wasn’t until I dug into post-season-3 Sherlock meta in January of 2014 that I started to encounter \"the Discourse.\""
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metanalysis: metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-rUlM8949",
"links": [
[
"fandom",
"fandom"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"metanalysis",
"metanalysis#English"
],
[
"metanalysis",
"metanalysis"
],
[
"metacommentary",
"metacommentary"
],
[
"media",
"media"
],
[
"essay",
"essay"
],
[
"dialogue",
"dialogue"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(fandom slang) Clipping of metanalysis: metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"slang"
],
"topics": [
"lifestyle"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (e).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmɛɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɛtə"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
{
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "self-referential"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "meta-",
"nocap": "1",
"pos": "prefix"
},
"expansion": "back-formation of meta- (prefix)",
"name": "bf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming adjective"
},
"expansion": "sense 2",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "clipping",
"2": "clippings"
},
"expansion": "clippings",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Adjective sense 1 is a back-formation of meta- (prefix).\nAdjective sense 2 is derived from noun sense 1.\nThe noun senses are clippings of various terms beginning with meta (prefix).\nFolk etymology for noun sense 1 also suggests an acronym for most effective/efficient tactic available.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more meta",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most meta",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "meta (comparative more meta, superlative most meta)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "transcendental"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "self-aware"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "17 5 7 17 20 20 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English back-formations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "25 3 4 15 14 28 10",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "22 5 6 18 15 23 12",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "20 7 9 15 16 20 13",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Suppose you have a genie that grants you three wishes. If you wish for infinite wishes, that is a meta wish.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"text": "Suppose you have a homework task where you need to edit a wiki page and upload a screenshot of this entry underneath the word meta as an example of what meta is.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Robert C. Neville, Religion in Late Modernity, →ISBN, page 31:",
"text": "[…] in finessing obligations you fail a \"meta\" kind of obligation.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2006, Brendan Vaughan, What Would MacGyver Do?, →ISBN, page 186:",
"text": "Besides, I can just hear Vaughan: \"Very funny, Stacey, very Charlie Kaufman-esque, very meta, very '97. I can't use it.\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2021 March 1, Carol Midgley, “McDonald & Dodds review – cheerful escapism and filth-free distraction”, in The Times:",
"text": "McDonald & Dodds is back, with episode one so deliberately hammy and meta that, technically, it should have been a complete horlicks. In one scene, when they were all hanging on to the balloon ropes, Mr Bean-like, to stop Jason Watkins flying away, it sort of was.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Self-referential; structured analogously (structured by relationships), but at a higher level."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-adj-en:self_referential",
"links": [
[
"Self-referential",
"self-referential"
],
[
"analogously",
"analogously"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Self-referential; structured analogously (structured by relationships), but at a higher level."
],
"senseid": [
"en:self-referential"
],
"tags": [
"informal"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "97 3",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "self-referential",
"word": "méta"
},
{
"_dis1": "97 3",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "self-referential",
"word": "meta"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Video games",
"orig": "en:Video games",
"parents": [
"Games",
"Mass media",
"Software",
"Recreation",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Computing",
"Human activity",
"Society",
"Communication",
"Technology",
"Human behaviour",
"All topics",
"Human",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "I don't think the character will be meta even with the recent buffs.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Prominent in the metagame; effective and frequently used in competitive gameplay."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-adj-en:gaming_adjective",
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Prominent in the metagame; effective and frequently used in competitive gameplay."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming adjective"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (e).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmɛɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɛtə"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
{
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la",
"3": "mēta"
},
"expansion": "Latin mēta",
"name": "der"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Latin mēta.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "metas",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "metae",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "s",
"2": "metae"
},
"expansion": "meta (plural metas or metae)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"Boundary marker."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-Ss87tgc8",
"links": [
[
"Boundary",
"boundary"
],
[
"marker",
"marker"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "13 3 6 13 16 16 11 3 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "16 3 4 17 15 15 10 2 16",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English heteronyms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 4 7 13 14 14 15 2 17",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Tumblr",
"orig": "en:Tumblr",
"parents": [
"Social media",
"World Wide Web",
"Internet",
"Mass media",
"Computing",
"Networking",
"Culture",
"Media",
"Technology",
"Society",
"Communication",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Either of the conical columns at each end of an Ancient Roman circus."
],
"id": "en-meta-en-noun-C20DztV3",
"links": [
[
"column",
"column"
],
[
"circus",
"circus"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(historical) Either of the conical columns at each end of an Ancient Roman circus."
],
"tags": [
"historical"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmiːtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (ee).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/34/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/34/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmiːtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmiːɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-iːtə"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English back-formations",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English heteronyms",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English nouns with irregular plurals",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 26 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə/2 syllables",
"Rhymes:English/ɛtə",
"Rhymes:English/ɛtə/2 syllables",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"en:Fan fiction",
"en:Fandom",
"en:Tumblr"
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "self-referential"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "meta-",
"nocap": "1",
"pos": "prefix"
},
"expansion": "back-formation of meta- (prefix)",
"name": "bf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming adjective"
},
"expansion": "sense 2",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "clipping",
"2": "clippings"
},
"expansion": "clippings",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Adjective sense 1 is a back-formation of meta- (prefix).\nAdjective sense 2 is derived from noun sense 1.\nThe noun senses are clippings of various terms beginning with meta (prefix).\nFolk etymology for noun sense 1 also suggests an acronym for most effective/efficient tactic available.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "metas",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "meta (plural metas)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metagame"
}
],
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"en:Video games"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "I don't think the character will be part of the meta even with the recent buffs.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2022 November 17, Carver Fisher, “League of Legends preseason 13 has made tanks unkillable”, in Dexerto:",
"text": "The phrase, “tank meta”, is one that carries a lot of weight when it comes to MOBAs. These metas are generally characterized by tanky, unkillable behemoths dominating the meta and leaving any character that isn’t focused around raw DPS in the dust.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metagame."
],
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
],
[
"metagame",
"metagame#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Clipping of metagame."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming noun"
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English countable nouns",
"English internet slang",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"en:Video games"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Each video sharing platform's community has a meta on how long videos should be.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2023 October 27, 29:51 from the start, in Hard Fork (podcast), spoken by Kevin Roose, The New York Times:",
"text": "I remember interviewing PewDiePie a few years ago, and he was sort of telling me about this time where it was like edgy videos were being really rewarded, so everyone was kind of chasing like edgy humor and edgy memes, and sort of trying to figure out where the edge was. And then YouTube changed the meta, and suddenly, it wasn’t good to be edgy, you weren't weren’t going to make as much money or get as many views.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metagame.",
"An informal but widely adopted practice in a given field; a de facto standard."
],
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
],
[
"metagame",
"metagame#English"
],
[
"Internet",
"Internet"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"de facto",
"de facto"
],
[
"standard",
"standard#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Clipping of metagame.",
"(by extension, countable, Internet slang) An informal but widely adopted practice in a given field; a de facto standard."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming noun"
],
"tags": [
"Internet",
"broadly",
"countable"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metaoidioplasty"
}
],
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English informal terms"
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metaoidioplasty."
],
"links": [
[
"metaoidioplasty",
"metaoidioplasty#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Clipping of metaoidioplasty."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"informal"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"word": "metamour"
}
],
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English informal terms",
"en:Polyamory"
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metamour."
],
"links": [
[
"metamour",
"metamour#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Clipping of metamour."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"informal"
]
},
{
"alt_of": [
{
"extra": "metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue",
"word": "metanalysis"
}
],
"categories": [
"English clippings",
"English fandom slang"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2014, Jay Schnorrer, \"Adding to Narration and The Johnlock Conspiracy – The Meaning of Digital Media for BBC's Sherlock\", paper submitted to Freie Universität Berlin (link)",
"text": "Many metas on Tumblr incorporate GIFs of scenes they are referencing as well as screencaps."
},
{
"ref": "2018, Sarah Leiser, \"Throne of Fans: Examining the Roles of Feminism, Platform and Community in an Online Fandom\", thesis submitted to the University of Denver, page 84",
"text": "Fans create their own stories and media representation through fan fiction. They challenge the feminism in the [Sarah J. Maas] books through discussions and metas."
},
{
"ref": "2020, Elizabeth Minkel, quoted in \"Under the Radar: A Conversation about Tumblr in the Public Sphere\", in A Tumblr Book: Platform and Cultures (eds. Allison McCracken, Alexander Cho, Louisa Stein, and Indira Neill Hoch), page 64",
"text": "It wasn’t until I dug into post-season-3 Sherlock meta in January of 2014 that I started to encounter \"the Discourse.\""
}
],
"glosses": [
"Clipping of metanalysis: metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue."
],
"links": [
[
"fandom",
"fandom"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"metanalysis",
"metanalysis#English"
],
[
"metanalysis",
"metanalysis"
],
[
"metacommentary",
"metacommentary"
],
[
"media",
"media"
],
[
"essay",
"essay"
],
[
"dialogue",
"dialogue"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(fandom slang) Clipping of metanalysis: metanalysis or metacommentary focused on media, fandom, or related topics, typically presented as an essay or dialogue."
],
"tags": [
"abbreviation",
"alt-of",
"clipping",
"slang"
],
"topics": [
"lifestyle"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (e).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmɛɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɛtə"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English back-formations",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English heteronyms",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English nouns with irregular plurals",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 26 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə/2 syllables",
"Rhymes:English/ɛtə",
"Rhymes:English/ɛtə/2 syllables",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"en:Fan fiction",
"en:Fandom",
"en:Tumblr"
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "self-referential"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "meta-",
"nocap": "1",
"pos": "prefix"
},
"expansion": "back-formation of meta- (prefix)",
"name": "bf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming adjective"
},
"expansion": "sense 2",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "clipping",
"2": "clippings"
},
"expansion": "clippings",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en"
},
"expansion": "English",
"name": "langname"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gaming noun"
},
"expansion": "sense 1",
"name": "senseno"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Adjective sense 1 is a back-formation of meta- (prefix).\nAdjective sense 2 is derived from noun sense 1.\nThe noun senses are clippings of various terms beginning with meta (prefix).\nFolk etymology for noun sense 1 also suggests an acronym for most effective/efficient tactic available.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more meta",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most meta",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "meta (comparative more meta, superlative most meta)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"related": [
{
"word": "transcendental"
},
{
"word": "self-aware"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Suppose you have a genie that grants you three wishes. If you wish for infinite wishes, that is a meta wish.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"text": "Suppose you have a homework task where you need to edit a wiki page and upload a screenshot of this entry underneath the word meta as an example of what meta is.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Robert C. Neville, Religion in Late Modernity, →ISBN, page 31:",
"text": "[…] in finessing obligations you fail a \"meta\" kind of obligation.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2006, Brendan Vaughan, What Would MacGyver Do?, →ISBN, page 186:",
"text": "Besides, I can just hear Vaughan: \"Very funny, Stacey, very Charlie Kaufman-esque, very meta, very '97. I can't use it.\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2021 March 1, Carol Midgley, “McDonald & Dodds review – cheerful escapism and filth-free distraction”, in The Times:",
"text": "McDonald & Dodds is back, with episode one so deliberately hammy and meta that, technically, it should have been a complete horlicks. In one scene, when they were all hanging on to the balloon ropes, Mr Bean-like, to stop Jason Watkins flying away, it sort of was.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Self-referential; structured analogously (structured by relationships), but at a higher level."
],
"links": [
[
"Self-referential",
"self-referential"
],
[
"analogously",
"analogously"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) Self-referential; structured analogously (structured by relationships), but at a higher level."
],
"senseid": [
"en:self-referential"
],
"tags": [
"informal"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with usage examples",
"en:Video games"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "I don't think the character will be meta even with the recent buffs.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Prominent in the metagame; effective and frequently used in competitive gameplay."
],
"links": [
[
"video game",
"video game"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(video games) Prominent in the metagame; effective and frequently used in competitive gameplay."
],
"senseid": [
"en:gaming adjective"
],
"topics": [
"video-games"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (e).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/49/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28e%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmɛtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmɛɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɛtə"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "self-referential",
"word": "méta"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "self-referential",
"word": "meta"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English heteronyms",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English nouns with irregular plurals",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"Pages with 26 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə",
"Rhymes:English/iːtə/2 syllables",
"en:Fan fiction",
"en:Fandom",
"en:Tumblr"
],
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la",
"3": "mēta"
},
"expansion": "Latin mēta",
"name": "der"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Latin mēta.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "metas",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
},
{
"form": "metae",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "s",
"2": "metae"
},
"expansion": "meta (plural metas or metae)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"Boundary marker."
],
"links": [
[
"Boundary",
"boundary"
],
[
"marker",
"marker"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with historical senses"
],
"glosses": [
"Either of the conical columns at each end of an Ancient Roman circus."
],
"links": [
[
"column",
"column"
],
[
"circus",
"circus"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(historical) Either of the conical columns at each end of an Ancient Roman circus."
],
"tags": [
"historical"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmiːtə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-meta (ee).wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/34/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/34/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-meta_%28ee%29.wav.ogg"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmiːtə/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈmiːɾə]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-iːtə"
}
],
"word": "meta"
}
Download raw JSONL data for meta meaning in English (14.3kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-02-21 using wiktextract (7c21d10 and f2e72e5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.