noun
meme
meem
noun
1
An image, video, or piece of text — often humorous — that spreads rapidly online, frequently with variations added by different users.
"The photo turned into a meme within hours of being posted."
"He makes memes about office life for his followers."
2
An idea, behaviour, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture, similar to how genes spread biologically.
"The professor described fashion trends as a kind of cultural meme."
verb
1
To create, share, or joke around using memes.
"They memed about the election result all week."
How to Use Meme
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOriginally a term for an idea that spreads culturally, now used mainly for the funny images and jokes that circulate online.
Common pairings
internet meme
viral meme
meme culture
make a meme
Word Forms
memed past tense, memes plural, memes plural, memes singular
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Etymology
Coined in 1976 by biologist Richard Dawkins, shortened from "mimeme" (built on Greek roots for "imitation") to echo the word "gene." The internet sense developed decades later.