What does word "meta" mean ?

Question

What does the word mean?

Is it the same concept as in the cases below?

1. Template meta-programming in C++
2. meta-data in database or file systems

Answer 1

In epistemology, the prefix meta- is used to mean about (its own category). For example, metadata are data about data (who has produced them, when, what format the data are in and so on).

Reference: Wikipedia

Answer 2

This Wikipedia entry is pretty comprehensive.

Answer 3

Template meta-programs are programs that produce programs, So this is another example of meta meaning about its own category as Dreas suggested.

Answer 4

Meta is Greek and means beyond (the real, actual) stuff.

Interestingly Meta-Physics means "Beyond the Physics", and comes from a Greek philosopher who wrote some books. One was "Physica" (these natural sciences), the next one "Meta-Physica" (because it came after, or beyond the "Physica") (and it dealt with the super natural scienses, e.g. religion). .... Nice anectode from a philosophy lecture, that helped me to remember these basics :-)

KR, Thomas