meme

OED

1.
1976 A cultural element or behavioural trait whose transmission and consequent persistence in a population, although occurring by non-genetic means (esp. imitation), is considered as analogous to the inheritance of a gene.

1976 The new soup is the soup of human culture. We need a name for the new replicator, a noun which conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation. 'Mimeme' comes from a suitable Greek root, but I want a monosyllable that sounds a bit like 'gene'. I hope my classicist friends will forgive me if I abbreviate mimeme to meme... It should be pronounced to rhyme with 'cream'. Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches. R. Dawkins, Selfish Gene xi. 206

1976 A rational person who hasn't acquired any variety of the God meme described by Richard Dawkins. New Scientist 9 December 619/2

1986 Congruence of the patterns of morphometric and cultural evolution in these islands suggests..that the differentiation has been influenced by a colonization history involving restricted gene and meme flow between archipelagos, subsequent drift, and possibly founder effects. Canadian Journal Zoology vol. 64 1576

1993 I'm not sure what happens to such a culture when radical Maoism is replaced by the far more seductive meme of Western consumer culture. Wired February 132/2

1998 On all other dimensional planes, memes could only exist as parasites, dwelling in the host brains or mental processes of physical beings. D. Brin, Heaven's Reach 27

2.
1998 An image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations. Also with modifying word, as internet meme, etc.

1998 The next thing you know, his friends have forwarded it [sc. an animation of a dancing baby] on and it's become a net meme. Sci. & Technol. Week (transcript of CNN TV programme) (Nexis) 24 January

2000 The best internet memes replicate quickly, gaining authenticity and achieving mythical status as their familiarity grows. Guardian 10 August (Online section) 11/3

2002 Often you attach the meme you intend to spread, and frequently it is no more 'important' than a separated-at-birth gag involving George Bush and a monkey. Vancouver Sun (Nexis) 26 January d5

2013 Read the 3,000-word Wikipedia article on 'Rickrolling' for an example of how a meme can eat itself several times over within the space of five years. T. Chatfield, Netymology xv. 49

I googled 'memesis' and got this from AI:

While "memesis" is not a standard English word, it likely refers to the concept of imitating or representing reality, specifically within the context of internet memes. It is a modern term derived from two existing words:

Mimesis: A Greek term in philosophy and literary criticism that means "imitation" or "representation of the real world".

Meme: An idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture, often with a humorous or relatable image or video.

Therefore, "memesis" combines these ideas to describe the process by which an online community collectively defines itself by generating and spreading internet memes. >p> Key characteristics of "memesis"

A product of digital communities: It is the way that online groups of people build a sense of shared identity and culture.

Community self-definition: The community creates its own image by collectively deciding which memes are the funniest or most accurate.

Iterative and evolving: Like memes themselves, "memesis" is a constant cycle of creation and recreation. A meme that is no longer shared or adopted by the community will eventually die out.

Subconscious and collective: This process happens outside of intellectual theory. Rather than analyzing their own ideas, people define their community's identity by simply sharing and liking content that resonates with them.

Memesis: community and self-definition in the age of memes Pierre Chaumont at digicult.it

Disaster‑Funny in Postdigital Age: Memesis and the Composite Nature of Humor in Crisis Farouk El Maarouf Vol:.(1234567890)Postdigital Science and Education (2025)

...Examining memes’ role in altering perceptions of catastrophic events, the paper illustrates how memetic humor reflects societal anxieties and trivializes dire situations. Memesis is portrayed as a self-deprecating mechanism navigating the inherent anxieties in creating and consuming humorous content during crises.

Taussig and Mimesis Michael Demers (note: this is a review of Memesis and Alterity by Michael Taussig)