I came across some interesting definitions of Metadata from various sources and here’s a compilation of the best I found…
A Love Note to the Future
“A love note to the future” is how Jason Scott refers to metadata.
Metadata, you see, is really a love note – it might be to yourself, but in fact it’s a love note to the person after you, or the machine after you, where you’ve saved someone that amount of time to find something by telling them what this thing is.
Cit. Jason Scott’s Weblog
It is with metadata that the encoding of knowledge within any data element is possible
According to Ontotext, describing physical and digital objects is what metadata is about. It helps the classification, access and storage of digital assets of all kinds. It is with metadata that the encoding of knowledge within any data element is possible.
Metadata provides content, context, and structure
“Metadata is basically “information” about Information – i.e. the content, context, and structure. This is nicely elaborated by Pat & Nancy in this document here Pat Franks & Nancy Kunde in this document.”
Metadata allows users to locate and evaluate data without each person having to discover it anew with every use
“The Minnesota Electronic Records Management Guidelines provides one of the best descriptions and rationale for metadata: Metadata allows users to locate and evaluate data without each person having to discover it anew with every use.Its basic elements are a structured format and a controlled vocabulary, which together allow for a precise and comprehensible description of content, location, and value.”
Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates information resource
“Another definition from National Information Standards Organization states – Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource.”
Punditas have taken the metadata concept to the next level with their AI platform. Punditas Advisor leverages human and machine generated metadata to contextualize information for Enterprise Users. Punditas Advisor leverages metadata extensively to deliver Product Knowledge based on Users style & preferences by automatically Discovering, Understanding and Interpreting vast amounts of data for Enterprise Products.
References
Punditas 
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