Definition of emoticon
: a group of keyboard characters (such as :-)) that typically represents a facial expression or suggests an attitude or emotion and that is used especially in computerized communications (such as e-mail)
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of emoticon from the Web
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From those two simple emoticons (a portmanteau combining the words emotion and icon) have sprung dozens of others that are the joy, or bane, of e-mail, text-message and instant-message correspondence the world over.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emoticon'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of emoticon
emotion + icon
First Known Use: 1987
EMOTICON Defined for English Language Learners
emoticon
playDefinition of emoticon for English Language Learners
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: a group of keyboard characters that are used to represent a facial expression (such as a smile or frown)
Learn More about emoticon
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See words that rhyme with emoticon Spanish Central: Translation of emoticon Nglish: Translation of emoticon for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of emoticon for Arabic speakers
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