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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
James Powel, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Creators like Zyrianova aren’t just snapping selfies for fun.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Other pictures were selfies of the couple through the years.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
This sweater dress is fun to wear and perfect for strolling (and snapping a quick selfie) in cool, crisp autumn weather.
—Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selfie
Cite this Entry
“Selfie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfie. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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