ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gram

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɡɹæm// UK //ɡɹˈæm// gram Archaic Informal

n. a short name for the social media app Instagram. You use it when talking about the app or the photos people post there.

n. a colloquial clipping of the social media platform Instagram. Informal in register; frequently used in the phrase 'for the gram' to describe actions taken specifically to be photographed.


SIMPLE

She posted a photo of her lunch on the gram.

CONTEXTUAL

We spent twenty minutes trying to get the perfect lighting for a photo to post on the gram.

COMPLEX

While the platform began as a simple photo-sharing tool, the gram has evolved into a sophisticated marketplace where influencers carefully curate their aesthetic to maintain high engagement rates.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From French gramme, from Ancient Greek γράμμα (grámma, “a small weight, a scruple”). Doublet of gramma.

Etymology 2

From obsolete Portuguese gram (modern Portuguese grão), from Latin grānum. Doublet of corn, grain, granum, and grao.

Etymology 3

Clipping of gramma.

Etymology 4

Clipping of gramophone.

Etymology 5

Clipping of Instagram.

Usage

Often used with the definite article ('the gram') when referring to the platform itself.

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