metadata

noun

meta·​da·​ta ˌme-tə-ˈdā-tə 

-ˈda-

also -ˈdä-

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

: data that provides information about other data

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How Metadata Was Formed

It's easy to find data on the source of "metadata": the word was formed by combining "data" with "meta-," which means "transcending" and is often used to describe a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one. "Meta-" was first used in that way in "metaphysics" and has been extended to a number of other disciplines, giving us such words as "metapsychology" and "metamathematics." "Metadata" takes the "transcending" aspect a step further, applying it to the concept of pure information instead of a discipline. "Metadata" is a fairly new word (it appeared in the latter half of the 20th century), whereas "data" can be traced back to the middle of the 17th century.

Examples of metadata in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The club recently published an official Field Guide, a journal (available at events) that includes a list of sites and recording prompts, as well as space to log metadata and the stories behind the sounds. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Use this semantic context alongside other metadata to automatically determine the nature of the document and an appropriate sensitivity level. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

According to the task force, internal FBI emails throughout February detailed the frequency of her contacts with various people, using metadata rather than message contents. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

NFTs—unique, transferable records on a blockchain, often linked through metadata to a digital image, animation, or piece of code—were established as stand-alone value units on Ethereum in 2018 and subsequently traded as digital art. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metadata

• bhagavata
• capitata
• ciliata
• coronata
• oblongata
• odonata
• tathagata
• acuminata
• desiderata
• fasciculata
• microbiota
• agata

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