pref.
Variant: or met-
Function: prefix
Etymology: New Latin & Medieval Latin, from Latin or Greek; Latin, from Greek, among, with, after, from meta among, with, after; akin to Old English mid, mith with, Old High German mit
1 a : occurring later than or in succession to : after < met estrus> b : situated behind or beyond < met encephalon> < meta carpus> c : later or more highly organized or specialized form of < meta xylem>
2 : change : transformation < meta plasia>
3 [ metaphysics ] : more comprehensive : transcending < meta psychological> ― usually used with the name of a discipline to designate a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one < meta mathematics>
4 a : involving substitution at or characterized by two positions in the benzene ring that are separated by one carbon atom < meta -xylene> b : derived from by loss of water < meta phosphoric acid>