metadefinitional

Metadefinitional is an adjective describing things that pertain to definitions at a meta-level—about definitions themselves rather than the terms they are used to define. The term is built from meta-, meaning about or at a higher level, and definitional, relating to definitions. In philosophy of language, linguistics, and terminology studies, metadefinitional discussion focuses on the standards, criteria, and methods by which definitions are evaluated, rather than on the substantive content of particular definitions.

Metadefinitional analysis asks what counts as a good definition, how definitions should be framed, and under what conditions a proposed definition qualifies as adequate. Typical concerns include clarity, non-circularity, precision, informativeness, applicability across contexts, and coherence with a larger theory of meaning or classification. Researchers may also examine the meta-criteria that determine whether a definition itself can be meaningfully criticized or revised.

Because the concept operates at a level above ordinary definitional content, metadefinitional discussions are common in debates about the philosophy of language, formal semantics, and lexicography, where scholars assess the methods used to construct, organize, and revise definitions in dictionaries, taxonomies, or ontologies.

Usage notes suggest that metadefinitional is a relatively specialized and sometimes fluid term. Different authors may emphasize different meta-criteria or use related language such as metalinguistic or metatheoretical when describing self-referential or higher-level analyses of definitions. In practice, metadefinitional discourse helps clarify how definitions themselves should be judged and improved.