Society
What is a meme?
A meme is a unit of culture — an idea, joke, image, or behavior — that spreads from person to person. Coined by biologist Richard Dawkins, the term now usually means the funny images and videos that go viral online.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a meme.
Key things to understand
- 1It's a piece of culture that spreads and replicates between people.
- 2Richard Dawkins coined the word in 1976, as a cultural parallel to genes.
- 3Memes evolve as people copy, remix, and reshare them.
- 4Online, 'meme' usually means a viral joke image or video format.
- 5Successful memes spread fast and adapt to stay relevant.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does the word meme come from?
- Biologist Richard Dawkins coined it in 1976 to describe ideas that spread and evolve through culture much like genes spread through biology.
- Why do some memes go viral?
- They're easy to share, emotionally catchy, and simple to remix, so they spread and mutate quickly across social networks.
- Are memes just funny images?
- Online, mostly yes, but the original idea is broader: any idea, phrase, or behavior that copies itself from mind to mind.