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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Over the years, Samsung notably hasn’t supported Dolby Vision HDR for dynamic HDR metadata, choosing instead to promote its preferred alternative, HDR10 Plus. —

Emma Roth, The Verge, 3 Jan. 2025 Structured content: Add schemas and metadata to help AI systems understand your content. —

Frank Rojas, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025 The metadata includes information on how the content was created, including whether AI was used to generate or edit it. —

Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024 The hackers stole a large amount of metadata, the FBI and CISA said. —

Bill Chappell, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for metadata