Index: jquery.validate.js
===================================================================
--- jquery.validate.js	(revision 5693)
+++ jquery.validate.js	(working copy)
@@ -498,6 +498,21 @@
 			return true;
 		},
 		
+		// return the custom message for the given element and validation method
+		// specified in the element's "messages" metadata
+		customMetaMessage: function(element, method) {
+			if (!jQuery.metadata) return undefined;
+			
+			var metaKey = jQuery.data(element.form, 'validator').settings.meta;
+			var meta = metaKey ?
+				jQuery(element).metadata()[metaKey] :
+				jQuery(element).metadata();
+			
+			return meta.messages ?
+				meta.messages[method] :
+				undefined;
+		},
+		
 		// return the custom message for the given element name and validation method
 		customMessage: function( name, method ) {
 			var m = this.settings.messages[name];
@@ -518,6 +533,7 @@
 		defaultMessage: function( element, method) {
 			return this.findDefined(
 				this.customMessage( element.name, method ),
+				this.customMetaMessage( element.name, method ),
 				// title is never undefined, so handle empty string as undefined
 				element.title || undefined,
 				jQuery.validator.messages[method],
@@ -833,6 +849,11 @@
 			}
 		}
 		
+		// To support custom messages in metadata ignore rule methods titled "messages"
+		if (rules.messages) {
+			delete rules.messages
+		}
+		
 		return rules;
 	},