---
title: MetafieldDefinition - GraphQL Admin
description: >-
  Defines the structure, validation rules, and permissions for
  [`Metafield`](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2026-01/objects/Metafield) objects
  attached to a specific owner type. Each definition establishes a schema that
  metafields must follow, including the data type and validation constraints.


  The definition controls access permissions across different APIs, determines
  whether the metafield can be used for filtering or as a collection condition,
  and can be constrained to specific resource subtypes.
api_version: 2026-01
api_name: admin
type: object
api_type: graphql
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetafieldDefinition
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetafieldDefinition.md
---

# Metafield​Definition

object

Defines the structure, validation rules, and permissions for [`Metafield`](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2026-01/objects/Metafield) objects attached to a specific owner type. Each definition establishes a schema that metafields must follow, including the data type and validation constraints.

The definition controls access permissions across different APIs, determines whether the metafield can be used for filtering or as a collection condition, and can be constrained to specific resource subtypes.

## Fields

* access
* capabilities
* constraints
* description
* id
* key
* metafields
* metafieldsCount
* name
* namespace
* ownerType
* pinnedPosition
* standardTemplate
* type
* useAsCollectionCondition
* validations
* validationStatus

***

## Map

### Fields and connections with this object

* [CollectionRuleMetafieldCondition.metafieldDefinition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/CollectionRuleMetafieldCondition#field-CollectionRuleMetafieldCondition.fields.metafieldDefinition)
* [Metafield.definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/Metafield#field-Metafield.fields.definition)
* [MetafieldDefinitionConnection.nodes](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/connections/MetafieldDefinitionConnection#returns-nodes)
* [MetafieldDefinitionEdge.node](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetafieldDefinitionEdge#field-MetafieldDefinitionEdge.fields.node)

***

## Queries

* metafieldDefinition
* metafieldDefinitions

***

## MetafieldDefinition Queries

### Queried by

* [metafield​Definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metafieldDefinition)
* [metafield​Definitions](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metafieldDefinitions)

***

## Mutations

* metafieldDefinitionCreate
* metafieldDefinitionPin
* metafieldDefinitionUnpin
* metafieldDefinitionUpdate
* standardMetafieldDefinitionEnable

***

## MetafieldDefinition Mutations

### Mutated by

* [metafield​Definition​Create](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metafieldDefinitionCreate)
* [metafield​Definition​Pin](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metafieldDefinitionPin)
* [metafield​Definition​Unpin](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metafieldDefinitionUnpin)
* [metafield​Definition​Update](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/metafieldDefinitionUpdate)
* [standard​Metafield​Definition​Enable](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/standardMetafieldDefinitionEnable)

***

## Interfaces

* Node

***

## MetafieldDefinition Implements

### Implements

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