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

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Once users download the app, TikTok can access a wide range of information, including locations, images, audio, cookies and metadata, to piece together profiles of users. —

Daniel Axelrod, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025 American politicians are so worried about time on site—especially when its by-product, metadata, is being collected by foreign governments—that the United States may very well ban TikTok, an app used by roughly one-third of the country’s adults. —

Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025 Cell-site simulators mimic cell towers to intercept communications, indiscriminately collecting sensitive data such as call metadata, location information, and app traffic from all phones within their range. —

Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2025 Investments in metadata management tools: Metadata, put plainly, is data that describes other data. —

Gary Drenik, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for metadata