emoji

American  

[ih-moh-jee] / ɪˈmoʊ dʒi /

noun

plural

emoji, emojis

1. Digital Technology. a small digital picture or pictorial symbol that represents a thing, feeling, concept, etc., used in text messages and other electronic communications and usually part of a standardized set.

   She texted me an emoji of “money with wings,” which probably means she’s out shopping.

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Etymology

Origin of emoji

First recorded in 1990–95; from Japanese: literally, “pictograph,” equivalent to e “picture, drawing” + moji “(written) character, letter”; kaomoji ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does emoji compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• emoticon vs. emoji

Example Sentences

“So next up is the smiley face emoji?”

From Literature

But on Facebook it went viral with nearly one million likes and heart emojis.

From BBC

Coal glanced at the phone of the person streaming next to him and saw views in the thousands with constant encouraging comments and emojis floating over the video.

From Literature

After seeing a lively fan recap video from the party, Carey commented “invite me next time” with two kissy face emojis.

From Los Angeles Times

“On it my queen,” replied the showrunner with a saluting emoji.

From Los Angeles Times