Defn: That part of the skeleton of the hind or lower limb between the tarsus and phalanges; metatarse. It consists, in the human foot, of five bones. See Illustration in Appendix.

METATE
Me*ta"te, n. [Sp., fr. Mex. metlatl.]

Defn: A flat or somewhat hollowed stone upon which grain or other food is ground, by means of a smaller stone or pestle. [Southwestern U. S. & Sp. Amer.]

METATHESIS Me*tath"e*sis, n.; pl. Metatheses (. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for meager.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt.