This paper proposes a definition of intellectual character in which metacognition plays a key enabling role. Two necessary, if not sufficient, conditions for being said to have intellectual character are having high intellectual standards and habitually checking one's thinking against those standards, or being metacognitive. Four questions suggested by this definition are explored, and the ways in which current studies of metacognition can help frame the questions are reviewed. The first question considers whether people with intellectual character have high standards and habitually monitor their thinking in terms of those standards. Research on the differences between novices and experts supports this argument. Another question is what it actually means to have high standards. It is suggested that this means not simply completing a goal or task, but also caring about truth, value, and quality. A third area of exploration is what kinds of standards there are, and this is linked to the final consideration of where the standards come from and how they are internalized. The existence of less-than-ideal standards in our schools makes these issues important and of concern to researchers. (Contains eight references.) (Author/SLD)