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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
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Alan Cumming and the rest of the Tip Toe cast lean in for a selfie at the show's premiere in London on May 18.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
David and Samantha Anderson of East Los Angeles got a selfie with Turner, who signed two baseball cards for the couple.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Princess Lilibet, dressed in an all-red outfit and matching scrunchie, sat on the floor facing her mother while Meghan, donning a lilac overcoat, took a selfie of the mother-daughter pair in the mirror.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfie
Cite this Entry
“Selfie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfie. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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