emoji
n.n. A small digital picture or symbol that you use in texts and online messages to express an idea or an emotion.
n. A small digital image or icon used in electronic communication to express an idea, emotion, or object. The term refers to the standardized pictographs used across most digital platforms.
She adds a heart emoji to every text message.
When he heard the good news, he responded with a simple thumbs-up emoji.
The legal interpretation of an emoji can be complex, as courts now consider whether it signals intent in business communications or contracts.
From Japanese 絵文字 (emoji), a 1990s coinage that bolts together 絵 (e, “picture”) and 文字 (moji, “character”). The blend is as methodical as the word itself: one element for the image, one for the text, no surplus syllables. While the syllables land fortuitously close to English emotion and emoticon, the resemblance is cosmetic. The overlap, however, greased the borrowing.