metadata
UK[ˈmetəˌdeɪtə]US[ˈmet̬əˌdeɪt̬ə]
n
Data that provides information about other data, such as the title, author, or file size of a digital document.
Morpheme Breakdown
meta
data
meta
about, beyond
data
information
Etymology
The term "metadata" is a modern compound, formed in the mid-20th century within the field of information science. It combines the Greek prefix "meta-," which in this context carries the sense of "about" or "transcending," with the Latin-derived word "data," meaning factual information. The logic is elegantly self-descriptive: metadata is data that exists at a higher level of abstraction, providing context and description about the primary data itself. This construction follows a pattern similar to other "meta-" terms like "metaphysics" (the study of what is beyond the physical) or "metalanguage" (a language used to describe another language).
Analysis
Structure: meta (about, beyond) + data (information)
- meta: A prefix of Greek origin, meaning "after," "along with," "beyond," or "about." In modern technical usage, it often denotes something self-referential or about its own category.
- data: A plural noun (singular: datum) of Latin origin, meaning "things given" or "facts." In modern usage, it refers to information, especially facts or numbers collected for analysis.
Examples
The metadata of the photograph included the date it was taken, the camera model, and the GPS coordinates.
Effective library cataloging relies on accurate and comprehensive metadata for each resource.
The software extracts metadata from audio files to automatically organize your music library.