What does meet mean?
Meet is a common English verb with several related meanings. At its most basic, it describes two people or things coming together, as in “Let us meet at noon,” whether the meeting is planned or accidental. It can also describe making someone’s acquaintance: “I met her at the conference.” In more abstract contexts, meet means to face or encounter something, such as a problem or a difficult decision. A particularly common usage is to satisfy a condition or requirement, as in “the answer does not meet the standard” or “we hope to meet the deadline.” Meet can also mean to assemble with a group or to equal or achieve a particular figure. The related noun, a meeting or assembly, is now somewhat literary or dated. Although its meanings range from social encounters to formal obligations, meet is generally neutral in tone and is useful wherever the idea of bringing people, requirements, or outcomes together is central.
To come together with someone or something; to encounter, face, satisfy, achieve, or assemble with.
"The two teams meet again on Saturday."
A meeting, assembly, or organized gathering.
"The annual meet of the society was held in the village hall."
This noun sense is now largely dated or literary.
The plural form is used for gatherings, especially in the dated or literary noun sense.
"The society holds several meets throughout the year."
One word can mean both an encounter with another person and the act of satisfying a need or deadline.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does meet come from?
The word comes from Old English mētan, meaning to come together or meet. It was inherited through Middle English into modern English, and its past tense and past participle, met, is irregular. The Old English form belongs to the Germanic family of words for meeting or coming together and is related to Old Norse mæta.
Related word forms
How meet is actually used
The word is neutral in register. In formal contexts, “meet a deadline” means to complete something by the required time, while “meet a need” means to provide or satisfy that need. The noun meaning a gathering is dated and is now encountered mainly in formal or literary language.
Easily confused with meet
Meet is a verb meaning to come together with someone or satisfy a requirement, whereas meat is the edible flesh of an animal.
Meet generally means to encounter or join, while the archaic verb mete means to measure or allot.