This article presents a compact directional high gain metamaterial antenna using electric-field-driven LC (ELC) resonator ground plane. The ELC ground plane is accountable for good directivity and proper impedance matching at first-order resonance (FOR) frequency of 5.4 GHz. This work offers compactness with patch electrical size of 0.228 λ 0 × 0.230 λ 0 , where λ 0 is the free space wavelength at FOR frequency. At the FOR frequency, proposed antenna offers a gain of 6.31 dB in broadside direction. High gain of the proposed antenna makes it suitable for WiMAX applications. Modelling of the proposed antenna is carried out using ANSYS HFSS 14.0, 3D simulation software and results are verified by the fabricated prototype. Measured and simulated results are in good agreement. © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.