emoji
noun
emo·ji ē-ˈmō-jē 
plural emoji or emojis
: any of various small images, symbols, or icons used in text fields in electronic communication (as in text messages, email, and social media) to express the emotional attitude of the writer, convey information succinctly, communicate a message playfully without using words, etc.
The function of emoji, as [emoji developer Shigetaka] Kurita describes it—adding subtle emotional emphasis to a sentence in text—isn't too different from that of emoticons, the frowny and smiley faces that people have been making out of punctuation since the mid-1990s.
Britt Peterson
compare emoticon Britt Peterson
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Along with the emoji, the hashtag #ThankYouSerena and #Serena are also trending. Brandon Griggs, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 Tom Henderson, a journalist with a stack record of accurate reporting on upcoming games, responded to the tweet with a Hammond emoji. Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 June 2022 Nonetheless, submissions for new emoji are open to anyone who follows the proposal guidelines. Anne Quito, Quartz, 17 July 2022 This year, 112 new ones will roll out, whereas last year saw 217 new emoji. Chris Morris, Fortune, 13 July 2022 This snack has its own emoji, comes in flavors like pumpkin spice, mocha and banana, and is now available as an aromatherapy scent. The Conversation, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2022 Pick your emoji, Cubs fans, because your team — Ricketts’ team — is projected to have a below-average major league payroll this season and finish below the self-destructing Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2022 Kehlani added an emoji of a face blowing out air to the screenshot. Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2022 The caption ends with an emoji of two hands held together in prayer. Timothy Bella, BostonGlobe.com, 4 June 2022 See More
Brandon Griggs, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 Tom Henderson, a journalist with a stack record of accurate reporting on upcoming games, responded to the tweet with a Hammond emoji. Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 June 2022 Nonetheless, submissions for new emoji are open to anyone who follows the proposal guidelines. Anne Quito, Quartz, 17 July 2022 This year, 112 new ones will roll out, whereas last year saw 217 new emoji. Chris Morris, Fortune, 13 July 2022 This snack has its own emoji, comes in flavors like pumpkin spice, mocha and banana, and is now available as an aromatherapy scent. The Conversation, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2022 Pick your emoji, Cubs fans, because your team — Ricketts’ team — is projected to have a below-average major league payroll this season and finish below the self-destructing Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2022 Kehlani added an emoji of a face blowing out air to the screenshot. Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2022 The caption ends with an emoji of two hands held together in prayer. Timothy Bella, BostonGlobe.com, 4 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Japanese, literally, "pictograph," from e "picture, drawing" + moji "letter, character"
First Known Use
1997, in the meaning defined above