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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
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
In her post, Hilaria included a selfie of her and her stepdaughter, as well as a few photos of Ireland's daughter Holland playing with a few of Hilaria's younger kids.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Many more just taking the usual Instagram-style selfies with the Louvre.
—Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
What does taking a selfie and going into space have in common?
—Michele Raphael, USA Today, 24 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.
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