meme

[ meem ]
/ mim /

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, meme·ing or mem·ing.

to create and spread memes: He spends a lot of time memeing and sharing his videos with friends.

verb (used with object), memed, meme·ing or mem·ing.

to make the subject of a meme: cute cats that get memed.

Origin of meme

First recorded in 1976, meme is from the Greek word mīmeîsthai ‘to imitate, copy’; coined by R. Dawkins, British biologist

Example sentences from the Web for meme

British Dictionary definitions for meme

meme
/ (miːm) /

noun

an idea or element of social behaviour passed on through generations in a culture, esp by imitation

Word Origin for meme

C20: possibly from mimic, on the model of gene