meme

American  

[meem] / mim /

noun

1. 1. a cultural item that is transmitted by repetition and replication in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes.

   2. a cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., that is spread via the internet and often altered in a creative or humorous way.

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verb (used without object)

memed, memeing, meming

1. to create and spread memes.

   He spends a lot of time memeing and sharing his videos with friends.

verb (used with object)

memed, memeing, meming

1. to make the subject of a meme.

   cute cats that get memed.

meme British  

/ miːm /

noun

1. an idea or element of social behaviour passed on through generations in a culture, esp by imitation

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Etymology

Origin of meme

First recorded in 1976; coined by British evolutionary biologist C. Richard Dawkins (born 1941), shortening of Dawkins's original creation mimeme, which was based on Greek mī́mēma “imitation, copy; artistic representation,” but which Dawkins also wanted to look and sound like gene; mimesis ( def. )

Example Sentences

Dawson ugly-crying as he "sets Joey free" to be with Pacey is still a hugely popular meme.

From BBC

Among Latinos, such a shift is blazing around the country like memes about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.

From Los Angeles Times

“Brat” catapulted Charli to a new echelon, dominating every sector of culture from music to memes to politics.

From Salon

Prediction markets, gold, silver, artificial intelligence and so-called meme stocks are all vying for their attention of late, drawing eyes away from crypto.

From The Wall Street Journal

The White House took down the post Friday, and after first calling it nothing more than a meme, they dubbed it a mistake by a staffer.

From Los Angeles Times