51Թ

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View synonyms for

meme

[ meem ]

noun

    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.


verb (used without object)

memed, memeing or 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 or meming.
  1. to make the subject of a meme:

    cute cats that get memed.

meme

/ ː /

noun

  1. an idea or element of social behaviour passed on through generations in a culture, esp by imitation
“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
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of meme1

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 ī́ŧ “imitation, copy; artistic representation,” but which Dawkins also wanted to look and sound like gene; mimesis ( def )
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of meme1

C20: possibly from mimic , on the model of gene
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

One of the most popular memes this election, "look left look right", stems from a song by an opposition candidate lamenting his dismal job prospects.

From

Those moments quickly became fodder for internet memes — and backlash.

From

"Winning means going all out on the jokes, the memes and the folklore against our friends on the other side. Losing means skipping work on Monday."

From

The timing led many on the internet to joke that the death of the pope was Vance's fault, a meme of which Yang is no doubt aware.

From

As for the posts, they tend to be memes so swirled with sincerity and irony that they border on postmodern.

From

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