emoji

American  

[ih-moh-jee] / ɪˈmoʊ dʒi /

noun

emoji, plural emojis plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• emoji
  plural
• emojis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of emoji

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

Compare meaning

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

• emoticon vs. emoji

Explanation

An emoji is a small icon or picture that represents an object, emotion, or reaction in a text message. On your best friend's birthday, you might text them the birthday cake, balloon, and shooting star emojis. The earliest emojis were available on Japanese cell phones in 1997. These simple pixelated images were modeled on manga art and appeared in shades of gray. Over time, emojis have become more complex and colorful — you can now send emojis that include an ear of corn, a squid, clapping hands, and a pair of scissors. The Japanese emoji translates as "character picture," and was first used in English around 2008.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

emoji emojis

Humoring the governor, Musk told Abbott he’d try to get a Texas flag emoji on his social media platform, X, drawing a round of applause from the governor over the air.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

"UTV! VTID" they screamed alongside a red love heart and the muscular arm emoji.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“It’s A No For Me,” he tersely posted on social media, accompanied by a smiley face emoji wearing shades.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

One of his more triumphant gags involved the rollout of an emoji with a raised eyebrow resembling one of Colbert’s signature looks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Every time I texted her, she just sent a thumbs-up emoji.

From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence

He replies directly to fans with crying-laughing emojis.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

You can get a lot of retweets by referring to the “land of the free” with bald eagle and American flag emojis as you drive over the bridge from Canada.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

Braggadocious, maybe—but tastefully free of rocket ship emojis.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

Emma Straub chimed in, “OMG!!!!!!,” and Rosecrans Baldwin left some emojis: clinking bubbly glasses to toast the news.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

Bren sent a whole bunch of kissing emojis, and Mop joined in with hearts.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya