meta–

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• prefix Later in time.
• prefix At a later stage of development.
• prefix Situated behind.
• prefix Change; transformation.
• prefix Alternation.
• prefix More comprehensive.
• prefix Describing or showing an awareness of the activity that is taking place or being discussed; self-referential.
• prefix At a higher state of development.
• prefix Having undergone metamorphosis.
• prefix Derivative or related chemical substance.
• prefix Of or relating to one of three possible isomers of a benzene ring with two attached chemical groups, in which the carbon atoms with attached groups are separated by one unsubstituted carbon atom.