metaverse

American  

[met-uh-vurs] / ˈmɛt əˌvɜrs /

noun

Digital Technology.

1. (in science fiction) a shared, realistic, and immersive computer simulation of the real world or other possible worlds, in which people participate as digital avatars.

2. a theoretical or emergent networked online space with digitally persistent environments that people inhabit, as avatars, for synchronous interactions and experiences, accessing the shared virtual space through virtual reality, augmented reality, game consoles, mobile devices, or conventional computers.

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metaverse British  

/ ˈmɛtəˌvɜːs /

noun

1. a 3D virtual world, esp in an online role-playing game

2. the universe as portrayed in a given work of fiction

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Etymology

Origin of metaverse

From meta- ( def. ) + (uni)verse ( def. ); coined by U.S. author Neal Stephenson (born 1959) in his cyberpunk novel Snow Crash (1992)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

metaverse

Meta, which was formerly known as Facebook, has pushed this idea of the metaverse — digital spaces where people will work, socialize and play through virtual avatars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

He later put pen to paper to explain the company's ill-fated pivot to the metaverse in 2021.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

In one of his Instagram ask-me-anything sessions in March, Bosworth defended the company’s metaverse ambitions, saying virtual reality wasn’t dead and that the company was continuing to invest in it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

The company slashed 1,500 jobs as part of its pivot away from the metaverse.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

In recent months, Meta has been shuttering its metaverse initiatives that were under its Reality Labs division, instead concentrating resources on more mainstream AI.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 26, 2026

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