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

“I would be tired the rest of the week,” one person commented with two woozy-face emojis.

From Los Angeles Times

It might as well be written in all caps, flashing at me in neon, excited emojis everywhere, it’s so loud in my face.

From Literature

The short video posts on platforms like TikTok show how even just the words "Tokyo, Japan" with a cherry blossom emoji can make an otherwise banal street scene more appealing for some users.

From Barron's

“The joke was funny. No harm, no foul! Keep up the great work, we appreciate you!” wrote Fillion, who included a green glove emoji in his message.

From Los Angeles Times

Text across the bottom of the picture stated: "Erase anything" followed by a heart-eyes emoji.

From BBC