meme

American  

[meem] / mim /

noun

memes plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• memes
  plural

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; cf. mimesis ( def. )

Explanation

A meme is an idea or habit that's passed between people and generations through imitation. An example of a meme is the cultural tradition of women wearing skirts. A cultural idea, value, habit, or even something like a tune is a meme if it is picked up from someone else. A meme, which is pronounced "meem," will change over time, like younger kids who want to wear the exact same clothes but who eventually develop their own, though similar, styles. Recently, meme has become commonly used to refer to Internet memes — pictures, videos, or even slang words that are shared between Internet users.

Example Sentences

His crypto business CIC Digital LLC business made $635.1 million from meme coin sales through a licensing agreement with “Celebration Coins,” according to the Office of Government Ethics filing.

From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026

Former Reddit darling Hertz falls as Wendy’s takes up the meme stock mantle.

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2026

There is an AI-generated meme doing the rounds on social media in Italy that shows Giorgia Meloni doing all the things you might expect from someone fresh out of a tough break-up.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

The Padres, the team that put up a meme of Clayton Kershaw crying on the video board.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026

Somebody’s gonna turn Mr. Lewis into a meme.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas