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What is the origin of selfie?
The first-known appearance of selfie in written form occurred in 2002 on an Australian news website, but the word didn't see much use until 2012. By November 2013, selfie was appearing frequently enough in print and electronic media that Oxford Dictionaries (publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary as well as other dictionaries) chose the word as its Word of the Year. This announcement itself led to a significant increase in the use of the word by news organizations, an increase that was further boosted following the December 2013 memorial service for Nelson Mandela, at which American President Barack Obama was caught taking a selfie with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The word selfie, with its suggestions of self-centeredness and self-involvement, was particularly popular with critics who saw this moment as a reflection of the President's character.
Examples of selfie in a Sentence
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Behind every standout look, bold accessory, or risky outfit that actually lands, there’s a group chat, a mirror selfie, or a last-minute text to your homegirls.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 7 Aug. 2025
People have taken pictures of their kids and dogs with her, and who knows how many selfies are floating around out there.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2025
This might have been just another triumphant startup story, except that, on July 25th, the app suffered a data breach, and users’ selfies, I.D. photos, posts, and direct messages began appearing on the anonymous message board 4chan.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selfie
Cite this Entry
“Selfie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfie. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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