GIF

noun

ˈgif  ˈjif 

plural GIFs

: a computer file format for the compression and storage of visual digital information

also : an image or video stored in this format

Using emoji, emoticons and GIFs in a texted conversation instantly signals the difference between sincerity and a joke or sarcasm.

—Jenna Wortham

see also reaction gif

Examples of GIF in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Go back, watch the GIF above and look at where the ball is when Clement begins to veer. — Levi Weaver, New York Times, 8 June 2026

And that’s my favorite GIF on the internet. — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026

More than a decade after the show went off the air, a scene at the end of the show’s third season became a GIF. — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026

Raster file types include GIF, JPG, PNG, and TIFF. — Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

graphics interchange format

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing GIF

• reaction GIF