The etymology of the Latin term meta is unclear. Basically it describes cone- or pyramid-shaped objects of stone, or sometimes wood, with various functions. In stone as a meta molendaria, the conical lower stone of ancient mills (mola asinaria,Mill), on top of which the upper stone, the catillus, turned (Dig. 33,7,18,5).
Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) and
Nielsen, Inge (Hamburg),
“Meta”, in:
Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry.
Consulted online on 24 January 2021 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e801760>