Emojis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small digital images or icons used to express ideas, emotions, or objects in electronic communication ; visual symbols representing facial expressions, objects, or concepts in text messages or online platforms ; tiny pictograms employed to convey feelings, actions, or items within digital conversations
2. Graphical representations that convey emotions, activities, or objects in texting and social media ; expressive icons that supplement or replace words in digital texts ; miniature images used to enhance communication by illustrating emotions or ideas during electronic exchanges
3. Digital pictures or symbols used to communicate feelings, items, or actions in online texts ; visual shorthand comprising faces and items that enrich virtual dialogue ; small graphic signs that help depict moods or objects in messaging apps and websites

Etymology: The word "emoji" arrived in English from Japanese, where "絵文字" (emoji) combines "絵" (e), meaning "picture," with "文字" (moji), meaning "character." Read literally, it means "picture character," which is exactly what these tiny symbols are. Its resemblance to English "emotion" and "emoticon" is pure coincidence, a false cognate that has helped many people guess at a meaning they never needed to look up. The plural "emojis" is the form of "emoji" with an English "-s" added to mark more than one. Because the word is borrowed from Japanese, where the noun does not change for number, English speakers have adapted it to fit their own plural pattern, so "emojis" is the ordinary English way of counting them.

Synonyms: emoticons, icons, symbols, smileys, stickers