meme

American  

[meem] / mim /

noun

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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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; mimesis ( def. )

Example Sentences

The precious metal has been trading like a meme stock in recent weeks, attracting some traders hoping to cash in on wild swings.

From The Wall Street Journal

One of the key sources of inspiration was just the simple observation that today we’re just surrounded by filters, AI, memes and all this imagery that is basically in our social feeds all the time.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some social media users responded with jokes and memes, while others emphasized Greenlandic self-determination and rejected the implication of foreign control.

From Salon

A fresh wave of speculation among individual investors spawned a new class of meme stocks and helped drive options trading volumes to records again.

From The Wall Street Journal

Amuseables, especially the aubergine, which Chinese fans call "the boss", have also spawned memes, with many sharing frustrations about adult life.

From BBC