word-forming element of Greek origin meaning 1. "after, behind; among, between," 2. "changed, altered," 3. "higher, beyond;" from Greek meta (prep.) "in the midst of; in common with; by means of; between; in pursuit or quest of; after, next after, behind," in compounds most often meaning "change" of place, condition, etc. This is from PIE *me- "in the middle" (source also of German mit, Gothic miþ, Old English mið "with, together with, among").

The notion of "changing places with" probably led to the senses of "change of place, order, or nature," which was a principal meaning of the Greek word when used as a prefix (but it also denoted "community, participation; in common with; pursuing").

The third, modern, sense, "higher than, transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of," is due to misinterpretation of metaphysics (q.v.) as "science of that which transcends the physical." This has led to a prodigious erroneous extension in modern usage, with meta- affixed to the names of other sciences and disciplines, especially in the academic jargon of literary criticism: Metalanguage (1936) "a language which supplies terms for the analysis of an 'object' language;" metalinguistics (by 1949); metahistory (1957), metacommunication, etc.

"a secondary communication that takes place with, or underlies, a more obvious communication," 1951, from meta- in the third sense of "transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of" + communication.

"of or pertaining to the forehead," 1878, from Greek metōpon, literally "the space between the eyes," from meta "between" (see meta-) + ōps "the eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see").

"the metaphysics of mathematics," including the philosophy of non-Euclidian geometry, 1878, from meta- in the sense of "transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of" + mathematics. Related: Metamathematical.

"beyond the sphere of logic, transcending logic," by 1865; see meta- in the third sense of "transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of" + logical. Related: Metalogic (n.), by 1842; metalogical.

1784, "abstract political science; purely speculative treatment of politics, unrelated to practical matters;" see meta- "transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of" + politics. Based on metaphysics. Related: Metapolitical, which is attested from 1670s in the sense of "outside the realm of politics."

1768, "penitence, spiritual conversion," from Greek metanoia "afterthought, repentance," from metanoein "to change one's mind or purpose," from meta, here indicating "change" (see meta-) + noein "to have mental perception," from noos "mind, thought," which is of uncertain origin.

in linguistics, "re-interpretation of the division between words" (as an apron from a napron, an adder from a nadder), 1914, from meta- "transcending, overarching, dealing with the most fundamental matters of" + analysis. Coined by Danish philologist Otto Jespersen.

1833 (Lyell) in the geological sense, "exhibiting change in form or structure," in reference to rock whose form has been changed by heat or pressure, from Greek meta "trans-" (see meta-) + morphē "form," a word of uncertain origin. Earlier (1816) in a theological sense, "characterized by change of form," from metamorphosis + -ic.

"to change, transform" (trans.), 1590s, from Greek meta, here indicating "change" (see meta-) + morphē "form, shape," a word of uncertain etymology, + -ize. Related: Metamorphized; metamorphizing. Alternative verbal form metamorphosize is attested from 1841; the earlier word was metamorphose.