metá

Alternative forms

• μεθ’ (meth’) — apocopic, before rough breathing
• μετ’ (met’) — apocopic, before smooth breathing
• μέτα (méta) — paroxytone
• πεδᾰ́ (pedá) — Aeolic, Arcadocypriot, Doric

Etymology

Cognate with Mycenaean Greek 𐀕𐀲 (me-ta); further derivation is uncertain. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *meth₂, with the first part from *me (“with”), in which case cognates include Proto-Germanic *midi and Albanian mjet and Albanian me. See also μέχρι (mékhri, “until”) and μέσος (mésos, “middle”).

The genitive is an innovated Greek associative. The dative is from the PIE locative. The accusative is from the pre-PIE directional.

Pronunciation

[ more ▼] 

• IPA^(key): /me.tá/ → /meˈta/ → /meˈta/

Preposition

μετᾰ́ • (metá) (governs the genitive, dative and accusative)

1. [+genitive]
   1. in the midst of, among, between, with
   2. in common, along with, by aid of
   3. concerning one's dealings with
   4. (rare) at the same time
2. (only in poetry, usually Epic) [+dative]
   1. between, among
   2. besides, over and above
3. [+accusative]
   1. as a movement into
      1. in pursuit of
   2. of sequence or succession
      1. (of a place) after, behind
      2. (time) after
      3. (worth, rank) next, after
   3. after, according to
   4. among, between

Adverb

μετᾰ́ • (metá)

1. among them, with them
2. afterwards
3. thereafter

Derived terms

• μετᾰ- (meta-)

Descendants

• ⇒ Greek: με (me)