Emoticon | Definition, History, & Facts (2023)

computer-mediated communications

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Top Questions

What is an emoticon?

An emoticon is a symbol, most often used in computer-mediated communications, that is intended to represent a facial expression that communicates the emotional state of the author. The word emoticon is a combination of the words emotion and icon.

What was the first emoticon ever used?

Although it has been claimed that the first emoticon appeared in 1979, the first substantiated use of an emoticon came from American computer scientist Scott E. Fahlman on September 19, 1982. He suggested that :-) could indicate humorous posts on a message board and :-( could indicate serious posts.

Are emoticons good or bad?

Critics argue that emoticons erode people's ability to communicate clearly and use language creatively online and that emoticons negatively affect the credibility of the author. Supporters insist that emoticons address the issue of emotions and feelings and are invaluable stand-ins for nonverbal communication in text-based communications.

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emoticon, glyph used in computer-mediated communications that is meant to represent a facial expression in order to communicate the emotional state of the author. When the Internet was entirely text-based, between the late 1960s and the early 1990s, emoticons were rendered in ASCII and were read sideways, as the “smiley” :-) indicates. The word emoticon comes from a combination of the words emotion and icon.

Although it has been claimed that the first emoticon appeared in 1979, the first substantiated use of an emoticon came from American computer scientist Scott E. Fahlman on September 19, 1982. He suggested that :-) could indicate humorous posts on a message board and :-( could indicate serious posts.

The use of emoticons has caused controversy online. Critics of emoticons argue that they erode the ability of people to communicate clearly and use language creatively in cyberspace, as well as in other forms of writing. Some have said that they are a lazy means of communication. Others note that they negatively affect the credibility of the author in an e-mail message.

Emoticon supporters insist, however, that they help online communication more than they hurt it. At their most basic level, emoticons are perhaps the crudest attempts to address the issue of emotion and feelings among users in computer environments in the absence of the high-bandwidth capacities of live face-to-face contact. They stand in for nonverbal communication in text and e-mail communication and clarify the tone of the message without the need for lengthy exposition.

Theresa M. Senft

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FAQs

What was the first emoticon? ›

Professor Scott Fahlman, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University, used the first digital emoticon on the morning of the of September 19th, 1982. And it was a smiley face :-).

What does 🙃 mean in text? ›

🙃 Upside-Down Face emoji

It can indicate silliness, sarcasm, irony, passive aggression, or frustrated resignation. Outside of these, this emoji can be used for even still more ambiguous emotions.

Who started emoticons? ›

The emoji was predated by the emoticon, a concept implemented in 1982 by computer scientist Scott Fahlman when he suggested text-based symbols such as :-) and :-( could be used to replace language.

What is 🤩 vs 😍? ›

😍 And 🤩 Emojis are two separate emojis to express the intensity of emotions. What is this? 😍 is an emoji indicating eyes filled with hearts, showing love and concern for someone. On the other hand, the start stuck emoji 🤩 is used to show the level of excitement and surprise for something.

What is the most famous emoticon? ›

Red heart ❤️

The red heart emoji is universally recognized as a sign of love and gratitude, and we pair ❤️with positive messages and when expressing good feelings. Many brands use this emoji in conversations to thank their fans for support.

What does 🤲 mean in texting? ›

The Palms Up Together emoji 🤲 is often used to represent praying. In particular, the emoji is used to specifically refer to asking God (or other divine being or spiritual force) for help.

What does 🥩 mean slang? ›

Emoji Meaning

A cut of uncooked red meat, as a T-bone or rib-eye steak, with the light, white marbling of fat. May be used for sexual slang. Cut of Meat was approved as part of Unicode 10.0 in 2017 and added to Emoji 5.0 in 2017.

What does 👈 👉 mean in texting? ›

The majority of people agree that it means 'shy'. As if you were twiddling your fingers together, nervously. The emojis can often be paired with the emoji too, for extra nervous vibes. The emoji sequence can be used if you're about to ask someone a soft, yet risky question, or if you're just feeling hella shy.

What is 5201314? ›

520 is not the only way to communicate in Mandarin, you can also take note of another expression 5201314! 520 means love, whereas 1314 represents 一生一世 yīshēng yīshì (for a lifetime). So, if you say 5201314, you are saying “I love you for a lifetime”.

What does this emoji mean 👅 🍆? ›

When you're feeling flirty and playful, you can send the 👅 emoji to show your partner that you're in the mood for some sexting. Pair 👅 with other emojis like 🍆 (eggplant), 🍑 (peach), 🌮 (taco), and 💦 (sweat droplets) to make it clear that you're referencing oral sex with your partner.

What does this emoji mean 😮 💨? ›

The Face Exhaling emoji 😮‍💨 depicts a face blowing a puff of air. The emoji is used to represent feelings of exhaustion, smoking, and exhaling a big sigh.

Why was emoticon invented? ›

With the invention of the Web came an influx of written correspondence. And, as anyone who has tried to convey sarcasm online can attest, tone can easily get lost between the lines of an email. That's why in 1982 computer scientist Scott Fahlman invented the emoticon.

What does P mean medical terms? ›

P. parturition (total number of live births)

What is the meaning of VSOP? ›

VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old.

What does VC stand for? ›

VC is an abbreviation for `vice chairman.

What does 😳 mean from a girl? ›

🔤 Meaning. 😳 Flushed Face depicts a smiley with wide eyes and red cheeks, as if blushing with embarrassment, shame, or shyness. It may also convey a wide range of other feelings to varying degrees of intensity, including surprise, disbelief, amazement, excitement, and affection.

What is the rarest emoticon? ›

The rarest emote in Fortnite is Rambunctious.

What does it mean when a girl sends 😍 😍? ›

What does Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes emoji 😍 mean? All the meanings for the smiling face with heart-shaped eyes emoji are very positive and warm. This emoji is associated with adoration, love, or extreme positivity toward a specific subject (romantic or not).

What does 👁 👅👁 mean? ›

What does 👁👄👁 mean? " It is what it is" It's a modern, emoji take to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in these new and unusual times. " 👁👄👁 means you feel helpless amidst the chaotic realities unfolding around us, but there is no escape." – @JoshConstine. constine.substack.com.

What does ❣ mean from a guy? ›

Like the many other heart emojis, such as Sparkling Heart emoji 💖 , Beating Heart emoji 💓, or Growing Heart emoji 💗, the Heart Exclamation emoji ❣️ is used to convey love, affection, and other positive feelings.

What does 👹 mean in text? ›

It is portrayed as a red mask with menacing eyes and a frown. It has bushy black eyebrows and a mustache—and of course, the tengu's signature long nose. People in the West commonly use it to suggest trolling, evil, anger, mischief, and naughtiness—including the sexy kind.

What does 🦍 mean in slang? ›

The 🦍 emoji means "Apes together strong." This is a quote from the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The quote was adopted on Reddit as a motto for ordinary people who band together to make money off the stock market.

What does 🤠 mean slang? ›

As a mash-up of the 😔 and 🤠 emojis, this sad cowboy represents a playful sense of melancholy and disappointment. “They always say Yeehaw, but they never ask Haw Yee” is a popular joke associated with the sad cowboy emoji.

What does 🤟 mean? ›

What does 🤟 I Love You Gesture emoji mean? A universal emoji! Or … is it? The love-you gesture or I love you hand sign emoji is the American Sign Language gesture for “I love you,” showing a hand with a raised index finger and pinky (little) finger and an extended thumb.

What does it mean when a girl sends 🤤? ›

Whether you desperately desire a delicious meal, a nice pair of shoes, or that cutie sitting across from you in the coffee shop, you might look like the drooling face emoji: 🤤. This emoji is used to convey such lust and longing as well as naptime—a less sexy time to drool.

What does 👉👈 mean in ASL? ›

👉👈 means gay sex in asl.

What does 🖖 mean? ›

What does 🖖 Vulcan Salute emoji mean? Live long and prosper, friends! If you ever need to spread the love to your geekier friends, then flash a 🖖. The Vulcan salute emoji, 🖖, is perfect for showing your Star Trek cred or sci-fi pride more generally.

What's the meaning of 831 😂 💕? ›

The number 831 224 means “I love you today, tomorrow, forever.” “I Love You” is the most common definition for 831 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. The number 831 is a cyber term used to mean “I Love You.”

What does 1437 mean from a girl? ›

Here's what "1437" means on TikTok. The internet slang "1437" means "I love you forever" on TikTok. Each numeral reflects the number of letters in the corresponding word.

Why does 459 mean? ›

Text message code for I love you, 459 corresponds to each of the first letters in "I love you," I=4, L=5, and Y=9 on a cell phone dial pad.

What is this emoticon 😏? ›

🔤 Meaning. As its official name reveals, 😏 Smirking Face represents the facial expression of a smirk. It's used to communicate a range of feelings, including smugness, self-confidence, self-indulgence, mischief, cheeky humor, and general satisfaction.

What does 🤨 mean in texting? ›

The 🤨 emoji means doubt and skepticism.

You'll often see this emoji in texts where the other person is basically saying, “Really?” or “I don't know about that.” The context can vary; the emoji implies sarcasm if you've been joking around but conveys genuine doubt if the conversation is serious.

What is the meaning of 😡? ›

Emoji Meaning

A red face with an angry expression: frowning mouth with eyes and eyebrows scrunched downward. Bears the same expression as 😠 Angry Face on most platforms and may convey more intense degrees of anger, e.g., hate or rage.

What does x_x mean in text? ›

(emoticon) The face of a dead person.

What does this mean 😮 🍆? ›

😮‍💨 Face Exhaling emoji

The Face Exhaling emoji 😮‍💨 depicts a face blowing a puff of air. The emoji is used to represent feelings of exhaustion, smoking, and exhaling a big sigh.

What does 🙃 mean flirting? ›

They're goofing around with you. In a flirty message, the 🙃 emoji can carry the same weight as 😏 and 😈. So if they start sending a bunch of 🙃 in a row, they're probably trying to keep things light, playful, and flirty.

What does 👁👄👁 mean? ›

What does 👁👄👁 mean? " It is what it is" It's a modern, emoji take to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in these new and unusual times. " 👁👄👁 means you feel helpless amidst the chaotic realities unfolding around us, but there is no escape." – @JoshConstine.

What does 👉👈 mean from a guy? ›

What does 👉 👈 mean from a guy? The majority of people agree that it means 'shy'. As if you were twiddling your fingers together, nervously. The emojis can often be paired with the emoji too, for extra nervous vibes.

What is the meaning of 🖤? ›

Despite its dark shade, a 🖤 represents love and affection. Someone may send this emoji alone or at the end of a sentence to show that they care for you. “Thanks for helping me today🖤” “I don't know where I'd be without you🖤”

What does 0594184 mean? ›

0594184 means "You and I Will Be Together for More Than One Lifetime." When read out loud in Chinese, the number 0594184 sounds like the Chinese phrase which translates to "You and I will be together for more than one lifetime."

What is the meaning of 5201314? ›

520 is not the only way to communicate in Mandarin, you can also take note of another expression 5201314! 520 means love, whereas 1314 represents 一生一世 yīshēng yīshì (for a lifetime). So, if you say 5201314, you are saying “I love you for a lifetime”.

What does 😩 mean in slang? ›

What does 😩 Weary Face emoji mean? The weary face emoji, 😩, cries out: “I can't handle this!” It marks content dealing with a very wide range of overwhelmed feelings, from genuine exhaustion to ironic self-pity to being overjoyed.

What does 😶 mean from a boy? ›

Meaning widely varies, but commonly conveys speechlessness, humility, and silence. May also convey moderately negative emotions, such as disappointment, frustration, or sadness.

What does it mean if a girl uses 🙄? ›

Emoji Meaning

As with the gesture of an eye-roll, commonly conveys moderate disdain, disapproval, frustration, or boredom. Tone varies, including playful, sassy, resentful, and sarcastic, as if saying Yeah, whatever. Samsung's design previously depicted a face smiling and looking to the side.

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