A meme is a virally transmitted image adorned with text, usually offering pointed commentary on cultural symbols, social ideas, or current events. A meme is usually a photo or video, although it can sometimes be a block of text. When a meme resonates with many people, it spreads via social media, text messages, and email. The more a meme is spread, the greater its cultural influence.
What is a meme?
Below you can read more about what exactly a meme is, the different types of memes and some examples of memes.
Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins coined the word "meme" (rhymes with "team") in his 1976 bestseller The Selfish Gene. Although he had no idea of the future Internet-related context, he used the word meme to describe an idea, behavior, or style that spreads quickly from person to person in a culture. In his book, he compared the spread of a meme to that of a virus. The word meme comes from the Greek word mimeme, meaning thing imitated.
Decades later, Dawkins supported the appropriation of the word meme in the digital world, saying that the new meaning is not so far removed from its original explanation.
