The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
meta–
VARIANT FORMS:
or met–
PREFIX:
1a. Later in time: metestrus.b. At a later stage of development: metanephros.2. Situated behind: metacarpus.3a. Change; transformation: metachromatism.b. Alternation: metagenesis.4a. Beyond; transcending; more comprehensive: metalinguistics.b. At a higher state of development: metazoan.5. Having undergone metamorphosis: metasomatic.6a. 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.
ETYMOLOGY:
Greek, from meta, beside, after. See me-2 in Appendix I.
