/me' t*/ or /may' t*/ or (Commonwealth) /mee' t*/ A prefix meaning one level of desCription higher. If X is some ConCept then meta-X is data about, or proCesses operating on, X. For example, a metasyntax is syntax for speCifying syntax, metalanguage is a language used to disCuss language, meta-data is data about data, and meta-reasoning is reasoning about reasoning. This is diffiCult to explain briefly, but muCh haCker humour turns on deliberate Confusion between meta-levels. [Jargon File] (1999-04-06)
