Emmy

American  

[em-ee] / ˈɛm i /

noun

plural

Emmys

1. (sometimes lowercase) any of several statuettes awarded annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for excellence in television programming, production, or performance.

2. Also Emmie a female given name, form of Emma.

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Emmy British  

/ ˈɛmɪ /

noun

1. (in the US) one of the gold-plated statuettes awarded annually for outstanding television performances and productions

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Usage

What are the Emmys? The Emmys is another name for the Emmy Awards, an annual award ceremony to honor excellence in television programming and production. The name Emmys most commonly refers to the Primetime Emmy Awards, which honor primetime programming, but there are also other events devoted to specific forms of programming, including the Daytime Emmys, the Sports Emmys, and the News and Documentary Emmys. The statuette awarded to winners is officially called an Emmy Award but is often referred to as an Emmy for short. The plural form Emmys is commonly used. Primetime Emmys are awarded to actors, writers, and to those in technical and production roles, as well as for specific series, including for drama, comedy, variety, and limited series. The Emmy Awards are held by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, an organization for television industry professionals that’s often simply called the Television Academy.

Etymology

Origin of Emmy

C20: alteration of Immy, short for image orthicon tube

Example Sentences

She’s since created an extensive collection of Grammy-winning music, and she won an Emmy for her reality competition show, “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Ms. Edebiri won an Emmy for the TV series “The Bear,” which seems to be the new go-to source for Broadway marquees this season.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

CNN on Wednesday stirred concerns about the 64-year-old Emmy winner’s health after it erroneously published an article a video titled “Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox,” according a screenshot published by TMZ.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

He won eight Emmy Awards for his work and was made an OBE for services to broadcast media and environmental awareness in 2024.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Lisa Ramirez is one of the first Latina women to win an Emmy as a television producer and director.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers