Internet Meme

Why Trust Techopedia

What Does Internet Meme Mean?

An Internet meme is an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media that gains popularity and spreads rapidly via the Internet. An Internet meme is often helped along by social networking sites and blogs that post and repost popular memes and, in doing so, reinforce the popularity of the memes.

Advertisements

These are also known as Internet fads or Internet phenomenon.

Techopedia Explains Internet Meme

The term meme comes from "The Selfish Gene" by the evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins. He used it to describe a non-DNA based evolutionary unit that was transmitted through group culture, such as the spread of tool making among hominids. Internet memes are perhaps a little less practical than a stone ax, but they do gain widespread acceptance and even spawn secondary memes parodying the first. Some notable memes include LOLCATZ, Rickrolling, planking and the digital Vuvuzelas.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret é uma premiada redatora e professora conhecida por sua habilidade de explicar assuntos técnicos complexos para um público empresarial não técnico. Nos últimos vinte anos, suas definições de TI foram publicadas pela Que em uma enciclopédia de termos tecnológicos e citadas em artigos do New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine e Discovery Magazine. Ela ingressou na Techopedia em 2011. A ideia de Margaret de um dia divertido é ajudar os profissionais de TI e de negócios a aprenderem a falar os idiomas altamente especializados uns dos outros.