🤳
Selfie
SEL-fee
Definitions
1
Technology · Photography
Very Common
Represents taking a self-portrait photograph with a smartphone or camera, typically held at arm's length. Used to indicate self-photography or the act of documenting oneself.
Commonly used when sharing or discussing self-portraits, often in social media contexts.
Just took a 🤳 with the Eiffel Tower in the background!
Instagram caption
Time for a quick 🤳 before the concert starts!
WhatsApp message
Perfect lighting for a beach 🤳 today.
Snapchat caption
Emerged with smartphone culture and symbolizes digital self-documentation and social media sharing practices of the 21st century.
2
Social · Self-Expression
Common
Symbolizes self-documentation, personal branding, or sharing one's experiences. Used metaphorically to represent self-promotion or documenting one's presence.
Often used ironically or self-deprecatingly to acknowledge vanity or self-focus.
Main character energy 🤳 today!
TikTok caption
Feeling myself, might delete later 🤳
Instagram story
Represents the broader cultural phenomenon of digital self-documentation and the curated presentation of identity online.
Evolution Timeline
2013
Oxford Dictionaries named 'selfie' as Word of the Year, coinciding with emoji's growing popularity.
Mainstream recognition of selfie culture in Western societies.
2016
The selfie emoji was approved as part of Unicode 9.0, reflecting the cultural significance of selfie-taking.
Widespread smartphone adoption and social media sharing practices.
2017
Rise of 'selfie deaths' warnings as people took dangerous photos, changing the emoji's usage context.
Media coverage of accidents during extreme selfie-taking attempts.
2020
Pandemic lockdowns increased selfie sharing as virtual connection replaced in-person interaction.
COVID-19 isolation and increased reliance on digital communication.
Cultural Context
The selfie emoji represents a distinctly 21st-century phenomenon enabled by front-facing smartphone cameras and social media platforms that reward visual self-documentation.
Selfie culture has been both celebrated as self-expression and criticized as narcissism, with the emoji often used self-consciously to acknowledge this tension.
While popular across age groups, selfie-taking and the emoji usage show distinct generational patterns, with younger users more likely to use it unironically.
The term 'selfie' originated in Australia around 2002 before gaining global popularity, demonstrating how digital culture can rapidly spread linguistic innovations.
Self-portraiture has existed for centuries, but the selfie represents a democratization of self-documentation previously limited to artists and the wealthy.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Often used with self-deprecating humor or paired with British slang like 'cheeky selfie'.
India
Extremely popular in Indian social media, often with specific terms like 'selfiestan' (land of selfies).
United States
Often used with slang terms like 'selfie game strong' or 'selfie mode activated' to indicate high-quality or frequent self-photography.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used practically to document events and family gatherings. Less likely to use in purely self-focused contexts without additional purpose.
Gen_Z: Used extensively and unironically across platforms, especially in stories and ephemeral content. Often paired with slang like 'slay' or 'main character energy'.
Older: Limited usage, primarily for practical documentation of travel or family events. Often used literally rather than metaphorically.
Millennials: Commonly used but often with self-awareness or irony. Frequently appears in travel contexts, life milestones, and group photos.
Common Combinations
🤳😂
Taking a funny or laughable selfie, often with an amusing expression or context.
Represents the light-hearted side of selfie culture, emphasizing humor over vanity.
🤳❤️
Taking a selfie with someone you love or a selfie you're particularly fond of.
Often used for couple selfies or to express self-love and confidence.
🤳✨
A glamorous or enhanced selfie, often with filters or in flattering lighting.
Reflects the beautification practices common in selfie culture and photo editing.
🤳🏖️
Taking a beach selfie or vacation photo, showing off a desirable location.
Part of travel documentation culture and social status signaling through location.
🤳🔥
Taking an attractive or 'hot' selfie that looks particularly good.
Indicates confidence and attractiveness, often with flirtatious undertones.