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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
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Months of rallies, block-walking and selfies across a sprawling state.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 2 Mar. 2026
Now, as a former president, he’s been spotted riding the rails since, taking selfies with and chatting up his fellow passengers.
—Meg Kinnard, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
After helping cut down the nets, Kelly was surrounded by fellow students posing for selfies with him.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 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 6 Mar. 2026.
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