Metacognition
noun /ˌmet.ə.kɒɡˈnɪʃ.ən/ — Thinking about one's own thinking; awareness of one's mental processes
Definition
The capacity to observe, understand, and regulate one's own cognitive processes — to think about how one thinks, to monitor whether one understands, to notice when a thought pattern is unhelpful.
Beyond the definition
The skill beneath all other skills. Metacognition is what separates the person who is stuck in their thinking from the one who can step outside it and ask: 'Is this actually working?' It is the observer behind the observer.
Origin & history
From Greek 'meta-' (beyond, about) + 'cognition' (knowing) — from Latin 'cognitio'. Beyond knowing: the awareness that watches the knowing happen. Coined as a term in educational psychology by John Flavell in the 1970s.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Metacognition is why some people learn faster — not because they are more intelligent, but because they notice when they haven't understood and adjust.
Therapy is largely applied metacognition: teaching people to observe their own thought patterns rather than simply inhabiting them.
The question 'Why do I believe this?' is a metacognitive question — and it is among the most powerful a person can learn to ask.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Metacognition” when the meaning fits your context: The capacity to observe, understand, and regulate one's own cognitive processes — to think about how one thinks, to monitor whether one understands, to notice when a thought pattern is unhelpful.
Synonyms
self-reflection, cognitive awareness, thinking about thinking, epistemic self-awareness
Antonyms
unreflective, unexamined thought, cognitive blind spot
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Metacognition" mean?
Metacognition is noun meaning: Thinking about one's own thinking; awareness of one's mental processes. The capacity to observe, understand, and regulate one's own cognitive processes — to think about how one thinks, to monitor whether one understands, to notice when a thought pattern is unhelpful.
Where does the word "Metacognition" come from?
From Greek 'meta-' (beyond, about) + 'cognition' (knowing) — from Latin 'cognitio'. Beyond knowing: the awareness that watches the knowing happen. Coined as a term in educational psychology by John Flavell in the 1970s.