meta
<philosophy> /me't*/ or /may't*/ or (Commonwealth) /mee't*/ A prefix
meaning one level of description higher. If X is some concept then meta-X is
data about, or processes operating on, X.
For example, a metasyntax is syntax for specifying syntax, metalanguage is a
language used to discuss language, meta-data is data about data, and
meta-reasoning is reasoning about reasoning.
This is difficult to explain briefly, but much hacker humour turns on deliberate
confusion between meta-levels.
[Jargon File]
(1999-04-06)
Nearby terms:
Messaging Applications Programming Interface «
mess-dos « META « meta » META 5 » meta bit »
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