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Emmy

American  
[em-ee] / ˈɛm i /

noun

Emmys plural
  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.


Emmy British  
/ ˈɛmɪ /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of Emmy

C20: alteration of Immy, short for image orthicon tube

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Her show has secured a nomination at the Daytime Emmy Awards, in the Outstanding Lifestyle Program category.

From BBC Jul. 26, 2026

Actress Emmy Rossum discusses her ideal morning routine with sunrise walks, a specific bench in Central Park and elaborate handshakes with her kids.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 18, 2026

The show won 10 Emmy Awards during its run, including four for Parsons for playing prickly Sheldon.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 13, 2026

Like I said, disgruntlement is part of the Emmy nominations tradition – and in some respects, this year spreads it around a little more evenly.

From Salon Jul. 9, 2026

I was thrilled when Fritz and his colleague, Kimber Liponi, won a local Emmy for their work.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

On a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” he gruffly declared, “You’re not going to win no Emmys with me, but I’m not trying to win Emmys.”

From Salon Jul. 9, 2026

Gritty medical drama "The Pitt" and inter-generational comedy "Hacks" on Wednesday topped the nominations for the Emmys, television's equivalent of the Oscars.

From Barron's Jul. 8, 2026

"The Bear" has racked up 21 Emmys in past years, including two for star Jeremy Allen White, but critics were divided about the final season and White was not nominated this year.

From Barron's Jul. 8, 2026

How fun would it be if the Emmys turn into a reunion for “The Americans” with both Russell and Rhys winning?

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 7, 2026

His work has won him an Oscar, a bunch of Emmys, and some other awards that I don’t pay much attention to.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson

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