finsta

noun

fin·​sta ˈfin(t)-stə How to pronounce finsta (audio)
variants or less commonly Finsta
plural finstas also Finstas
slang
: a secret or incognito account on the Instagram photo-sharing service
"Finsta," a slang term, is widely accepted as a contraction of "fake" and "Insta" (short for Instagram). … "Fake" here does not refer to the account owner—finstas are real accounts run by real people, not bots—but instead distinguishes the private, and to some extent secret, account from the "real" public-facing one.Caity Weaver and Danya Issawi
A Finsta—or fake Instagram account—is nothing new. Teenagers have had them for years. While you have a public account that's all smiles and success and face filters, you have a private one that is videos of you lying on the sofa making cat noises …Louis Wise
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the singer [Adele] claims she has both a finsta, which she uses for keeping up with interior decorating and cat content, and a fake Twitter for following online gossip about her life.Angela Watercutter
There's plenty of reasons why Instagram users might choose to start a finsta. For some, it's a much-needed outlet for venting, or a place to share life updates that you wouldn't want certain friends, acquaintances, or relatives to see.Emma Carey
Kim Kardashian has admitted she uses a "finsta"—otherwise known as a fake Instagram account—to read celebrity gossip about herself and to stalk her friends. … Kardashian's comments about having a finsta are a relatively rare admission in the celebrity world …Emma Nolan
A finsta is not just a place to post imperfect or personal photos, according to Gen Zers, who coined the term, but a place to make IRL-worthy connections. … Millennials, on the other hand, seem more likely to create a finsta to lean into a hobby, promote a side hustle, or sleuth.Kaitlyn Wylde

Word History

Etymology

fake Instagram account

First Known Use

2013, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of finsta was in 2013

Dictionary Entries Near finsta

Cite this Entry

“Finsta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finsta. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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