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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
Lucy Feldman, Time, 6 May 2026
The announcement comes a week after Katya posted a selfie in a hospital gown, wearing a nasal cannula that helps deliver oxygen.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 6 May 2026
But a Lyft spokesman told The News Wednesday that people who chose not to upload IDs — or, like many minors, had no ID — would have had their age verified through a selfie.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Every summer, nearly four million tourists—TikTokers, Instagrammers, and selfie-seekers among them—descend on Cinque Terre and its 3,000 residents.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for selfie
Cite this Entry
“Selfie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfie. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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