metaprogram
nounUK /ˈmɛtəprəʊɡræm/
US /ˈmɛtəproʊɡræm/
A metaprogram is a special computer program that writes or changes other programs.
The developer used a metaprogram to automatically create hundreds of small programs.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A set of inner rules in a person's mind that shapes how they think and act.
Her metaprogram made her focus on big-picture ideas rather than small details.
3. A program that treats other programs as its data and can analyze or transform them.
The metaprogram read the source files and rewrote them in a cleaner style.
4. In self-help, a mental pattern that controls how someone responds to situations.
Coaches often talk about changing a negative metaprogram into a positive one.