The prefix “meta” comes from the Greek and can indicate change, as in metamorphosis; or it can mean beyond or after, as in metaphysics. In information technology usage, the word meta-data has come to be used as a definition or description of data: a small indicator that encompasses and points to a larger piece of information. The library card catalog is the standard metaphor for meta-data: each card represented and led the user to a much larger body of information, the book or other item cataloged.

Developing and implementing a meta-data strategy has always been a tough proposition, as most of the senior management do not understand the importance of the subject. Let alone meta-data many IS community members don’t even understand the importance of data.

Meta-data in most simple terms means "structured data about data" or "data that describes something (that may or may not itself be data)". Examples of meta data include: definition of the data element, business names of the element, systems abbreviations for that element, the data type and size of the element, source location, data steward, alternate alias, alternate spelling etc. In other terms, meta-data is any information used to aid identification, description, characteristics, location of, access to, data elements and information.