What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Proto vs Meta - What's the difference?

proto | meta |

As adjectives the difference between proto and meta

is that proto is prototypical; preceding the proper beginning of something while meta is self-referential; at a higher level.

As a noun meta is

boundary marker.

proto

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Prototypical; preceding the proper beginning of something
  • * {{quote-news, 2007, March 11, Horacio Silva, Muscle Man, New York Times citation
    • , passage=

    Anagrams

    * ----

    meta

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (informal) Self-referential; at a higher level
  • * {{quote-book, 2002, Robert C. Neville, Religion in Late Modernity citation
    • , passage=
  • * {{quote-book, 2006, Brendan Vaughan, What Would MacGyver Do? citation
    • , passage=Besides, I can just hear Vaughan: "Very funny, Stacey, very Charlie Kaufman-esque, very meta , very '97. I can't use it." }}

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • boundary marker
  • Either of the conical columns at each end of a Roman circus

    • Anagrams

    * ----