---
title: MetaobjectDefinition - GraphQL Admin
description: Provides the definition of a generic object structure composed of metafields.
api_version: 2025-10
api_name: admin
type: object
api_type: graphql
source_url:
  html: https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectDefinition
  md: https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectDefinition.md
---

# Metaobject​Definition

object

Requires `read_metaobject_definitions` access scope.

Provides the definition of a generic object structure composed of metafields.

## Fields

* access

  [Metaobject​Access!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectAccess)

  non-null

  Access configuration for the metaobject definition.

* capabilities

  [Metaobject​Capabilities!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectCapabilities)

  non-null

  The capabilities of the metaobject definition.

* created​By​App

  [App!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/App)

  non-null

  The app used to create the metaobject definition.

* created​By​Staff

  [Staff​Member](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/StaffMember)

  The staff member who created the metaobject definition.

* description

  [String](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/String)

  The administrative description.

* display​Name​Key

  [String](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/String)

  The key of a field to reference as the display name for each object.

* field​Definitions

  [\[Metaobject​Field​Definition!\]!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectFieldDefinition)

  non-null

  The fields defined for this object type.

* has​Thumbnail​Field

  [Boolean!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/Boolean)

  non-null

  Whether this metaobject definition has field whose type can visually represent a metaobject with the `thumbnailField`.

* id

  [ID!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/ID)

  non-null

  A globally-unique ID.

* metaobjects

  [Metaobject​Connection!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/connections/MetaobjectConnection)

  non-null

  A paginated connection to the metaobjects associated with the definition.

* metaobjects​Count

  [Int!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/Int)

  non-null

  The count of metaobjects created for the definition.

* name

  [String!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/String)

  non-null

  The human-readable name.

* standard​Template

  [Standard​Metaobject​Definition​Template](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/StandardMetaobjectDefinitionTemplate)

  The standard metaobject template associated with the definition.

* type

  [String!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/String)

  non-null

  The type of the object definition. Defines the namespace of associated metafields.

***

## Map

### Fields and connections with this object

* {}[Metaobject.definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/Metaobject#field-Metaobject.fields.definition)
* <->[MetaobjectDefinitionConnection.nodes](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/connections/MetaobjectDefinitionConnection#returns-nodes)
* {}[MetaobjectDefinitionEdge.node](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetaobjectDefinitionEdge#field-MetaobjectDefinitionEdge.fields.node)

***

## Queries

* [metaobject​Definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinition)

  query

  Retrieves a metaobject definition by ID.

* [metaobject​Definition​By​Type](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinitionByType)

  query

  Finds a metaobject definition by type.

* [metaobject​Definitions](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinitions)

  query

  All metaobject definitions.

***

## \<?>MetaobjectDefinition Queries

### Queried by

* \<?>[metaobject​Definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinition)
* \<?>[metaobject​Definition​By​Type](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinitionByType)
* \<?>[metaobject​Definitions](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metaobjectDefinitions)

***

## Mutations

* [metaobject​Definition​Create](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metaobjectDefinitionCreate)

  mutation

  Creates a new metaobject definition.

* [metaobject​Definition​Update](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metaobjectDefinitionUpdate)

  mutation

  Updates a metaobject definition with new settings and metafield definitions.

* [standard​Metaobject​Definition​Enable](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/standardMetaobjectDefinitionEnable)

  mutation

  Enables the specified standard metaobject definition from its template.

***

## <\~> MetaobjectDefinition Mutations

### Mutated by

* <\~>[metaobject​Definition​Create](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metaobjectDefinitionCreate)
* <\~>[metaobject​Definition​Update](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metaobjectDefinitionUpdate)
* <\~>[standard​Metaobject​Definition​Enable](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/standardMetaobjectDefinitionEnable)

***

## Interfaces

* [Node](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/interfaces/Node)

  interface

***

## ||-MetaobjectDefinition Implements

### Implements

* ||-[Node](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/interfaces/Node)