Metathesis
(Me*tath"e*sis) n.; pl. Metatheses [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently,
to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.]
1. (Gram.) Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for
meager.
2. (Med.) A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.
3. (Chem.) The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus,
by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or
base, and forms a salt.
Metathetic
(Met`a*thet"ic Met`a*thet"ic*al) a. Of or pertaining to metathesis.
Metathoracic
(Met`a*tho*rac"ic) a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the metathorax.
Metathorax
(Met`a*tho"rax) n. [NL.: cf. F. métathorax. See Meta-, and Thorax.] (Zoöl.) The last or
posterior segment of the thorax in insects. See Illust. of Coleoptera.
Metatitanic
(Met`a*ti*tan"ic) a. [Pref. meta- + titanic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an
acid of titanium analogous to metasilicic acid.
Metatungstate
(Met`a*tung"state) n. (Chem.) A salt of metatungstic acid.
Metatungstic
(Met`a*tung"stic) a. [Pref. meta- + tungstic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating,
an acid known only in its salts (the metatungstates) and properly called polytungstic, or pyrotungstic,
acid.
Metavanadate
(Met`a*van"a*date) n. (Chem.) A salt of metavanadic acid.
Metavanadic
(Met`a*va*nad"ic) a. [Pref. meta- + vanadic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating,
a vanadic acid analogous to metaphosphoric acid.
Metaxylene
(Met`a*xy"lene) n. [Pref. meta- + xylene.] (Chem.) That variety of xylene, or dimethyl
benzene, in which the two methyl groups occupy the meta position with reference to each other. It is a
colorless inflammable liquid.
Métayage
(||Mé`ta`yage") n. [F. See Métayer.] A system of farming on halves. [France & Italy]
Métayer
(||Mé`ta`yer") n. [F., fr. LL. medietarius, fr. L. medius middle, half. See Mid, a.] One who
cultivates land for a share (usually one half) of its yield, receiving stock, tools, and seed from the landlord.
[France & Italy] Milman.
Metazoa
(||Met`a*zo"a) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. after + zo^,on an animal.] (Zoöl.) Those animals in which the
protoplasmic mass, constituting the egg, is converted into a multitude of cells, which are metamorphosed
into the tissues of the body. A central cavity is commonly developed, and the cells around it are at first
arranged in two layers, — the ectoderm and endoderm. The group comprises nearly all animals except
the Protozoa.
Metazoan
(Met`a*zo"an) n.; pl. Metazoans (Zoöl.) One of the Metazoa.
Metazoic
(Met`a*zo"ic) a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Metazoa.
Metazoön
(||Met`a*zo"ön) n. [NL.] (Zoöl.) One of the Metazoa.
Mete
(Mete) n. Meat. [Obs.] Chaucer.
