metacognition
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of metacognition
Explanation
Whenever you think about the thoughts that you're thinking, that's metacognition. Metacognition can be a useful way to work through difficult experiences, by reflecting on what's going through your head. This word is formed by adding meta-, or "above," to cognition, which means "thinking." Rather than simply having a thought, metacognition involves mulling it over and putting it into context with your previous patterns of thought. Understanding why you think the way you do, and how those thoughts make you feel and act, are part of metacognition. Try using metacognition the next time you're worried about something! Examining your thoughts more closely just might make you feel better.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Metacognition is important for developing learning strategies and is believed to be a predictor of an individual's successes in school and social achievements.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2024
Metacognition is your higher-order thought processes which you use to look at what's happening in your cognitive system.
From Salon • Oct. 15, 2023
Metacognition engages self-awareness and higher- order thinking skills so that an individual can regulate, monitor, and critically analyze their own thought processes.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
Metacognition allows humans to actively seek out new information, and to adapt their learning strategies to specific situations.
From Time • Mar. 7, 2016
Metacognition often takes the form of a value judgment about one's thoughts, such as “It's bad that I overanalyze everything.”
From Scientific American • Jul. 7, 2014
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
