internet meme

Type: Concept

As of November 2026, internet meme has been mentioned in one podcast episode on NPR (Nov 2025).

An Internet meme, or meme, is a cultural item that spreads across the Internet, now primarily through social media platforms. Internet memes manifest in a variety of formats, including images, videos, and other viral content. Key characteristics of memes include their tendency to be parodied, their use of intertextuality, their viral dissemination, and their continual evolution. The term meme was originally introduced by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene to describe a conceptual