Metatranscriptomics is a multifaceted term that refers to the study of RNA molecules that are present within a given environment, often within the context of microbial communities. This field of study encompasses a wide range of techniques and tools that are used to extract, sequence, and analyze RNA molecules, with the ultimate goal of better understanding the complex biological interactions that occur within different ecosystems. Some synonyms that can be used in place of metatranscriptomics include environmental transcriptomics, community transcriptomics, or RNA-seq of complex systems. These terms all refer to the same general idea of characterizing gene expression patterns within large and complex biological systems, and can be used interchangeably based on the context of the research being conducted.