A meme is a piece of culture that spreads through imitation. In everyday internet use, the word usually refers to shareable media or a recognizable format—such as an image, video, or catchphrase—that people circulate and adapt. Internet memes are one kind of meme, not the whole idea.
What does “meme” mean?
The term has a broad meaning and a more familiar online one. Richard Dawkins introduced “meme” in The Selfish Gene (1976) for cultural material passed from person to person by imitation. That material can be an idea, behavior, phrase, or other cultural element; it does not have to be an image or a joke. The word is an analogy to biological replication, not a claim that culture is literally a gene or always changes exactly like biological traits do. The academic account of the concept also notes that “meme” has been used in varied ways rather than settling into one simple scholarly definition.
In common online usage, a meme is typically a recognizable piece or format of internet media that people share, reuse, and modify. The two meanings overlap: an internet meme is cultural material spreading through imitation, but the broader term also covers transmission that happens offline and may not look like online entertainment. Know Your Meme’s overview of internet memes describes the online forms and terminology.
Where did the word “meme” come from?
Richard Dawkins coined the word in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, using it for a unit of cultural transmission by imitation. The term was shaped around that idea of copying and passing on cultural material. Dawkins later discussed how the internet meaning relates to the original concept in a 2013 WIRED interview.
#1 Best Overall
How do internet memes spread and change?
People circulate a recognizable image, video, phrase, or format through online channels. Others reuse it in a new context, altering the words or image while keeping enough of the original for it to be recognized. A template captioned differently for different situations is one simple example: the shared structure connects the versions, while each adaptation gives it a new context.
In the WIRED interview, Dawkins emphasized that internet users can deliberately alter meme material through human creativity. That is his explanation of the online form, not a universal formula for how every cultural idea changes. Sharing and variation help explain what people mean by internet memes; they do not guarantee that any particular post will spread widely.
Rank #2
- Family Board Game: This fun family game is great for game night, birthday party games, travel games, gifts for teen girls and family reunion games. Intended for 3+ players, it brings everyone together for wholesome, IRL fun.
- How To Play: Compete with friends and family to create the funniest memes. Choose your best caption card to describe the photo card for each round. A rotating judge picks their favorite combination.
- Pro Tip! Each round, a rotating judge decides a winner based on their own personal opinion. So, to increase your chance of winning, try to match your caption card to the current judge's sense of humor.
Is every viral post a meme?
Not necessarily. “Viral” describes a pattern of rapid or broad circulation, not a precise definition of a meme and not a judgment of quality. Dawkins characterized the internet meaning in the interview by saying, “The meaning is not that far away from the original. It’s anything that goes viral.” That is his concise characterization, rather than a complete or uncontested definition. In everyday use, people often call something a meme when it is recognizable and reused or adapted, not merely because one post received wide attention.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →
