Metamechanics has a specific meaning in relation to art history, as a description of the kinetic sculpture machines of Jean Tinguely. It is also applied to, and may have its origins in, earlier work of the Dada art movement.

Metamechanics or meta-mechanics is applied in other contexts as a descriptive term for a meta-level or abstract discussion of the mechanics of some application or area. For example, in discussing game design, a given game has its level of mechanics of manipulation of pieces, dice, cards and so on subject to rules; the meta-mechanics might be discussion of types of pieces, or types of rules.