Emojis — those ubiquitous icons used in texts, emails, and social media to indicate mood, the weather, interests, and even relationship status — have been around since 1997. In the decades since, the little pictures have gained a foothold in our increasingly tech-reliant lives. When communication occurs digitally, a small character (or a string of them) can add nuance and context in a way that a lengthy block of text cannot.
Much in the same way slang terms evolve with each new generation, however, the meanings of emojis have changed since the first pixelated set was introduced almost three decades ago. Often, the intended meaning of an icon is all but forgotten as users put their own spin on it. And as lexicographers can attest, the meaning of a word (or an emoji) only works if that is how people are using it. Here are some of the most commonly used emojis and what they mean — at least for now.
🔥 Fire
The flame emoji can represent a real fire, but it’s more frequently used now to convey the message that someone or something is "hot" (attractive) or "lit" (excellent).
🤣 Rolling on the Floor Laughing
The smiling face tilted on its side with tears is a reference to the popular internet acronym "ROFL," which stands for "rolling on the floor laughing." However, this emoji has fallen out of use recently — the Gen Z crowd is more likely to use a skull emoji (💀) to suggest they're "dead from laughter." (There could even be another emoji on the rise that we're not yet clued into.)
🏠 House Building
Demonstrating how certain emoji can gain (or lose) definitions over time, this icon gained traction in recent years as more workers made use of home offices when their companies went remote during the pandemic. The house emoji serves as a reminder on calendars and work-related chat programs that someone is working from home.
👍 Thumbs Up Sign
In a work chat or text, the thumbs-up emoji can be used to show quick and enthusiastic approval or agreement. In some contexts, however, particularly for Gen Z, it can be read as passive-aggressive or sarcastic.
🙃 Upside-Down Face
The upside-down smiling face emoji can be used to mean sarcasm or silliness. While texting can leave something to be desired in regard to tone, a quick upside-down face can imply a joking quality to the message.
💅 Nail Polish
The nail polish emoji can be a calendar reminder for a mani-pedi appointment, but is now more frequently used to suggest indifference toward something or someone.
🚩 Triangular Flag on Post
The triangular flag on a pole may have been included in the original emojis set for sporting reasons, but today, it's more commonly used to signal a "red flag" problem or situation. When reviewing dating prospects with your friends, the red flag means you should get out of the situation quickly.
🗿 Moyai (or Moai)
This emoji, modeled after one of the giant stone statues on Easter Island, is used to indicate a stoic, deadpan response to something the sender doesn't find amusing. It's similar to the usage of the painted nails emoji, but even more serious.
🐐 Goat
The goat emoji is used as the visual representation for the slang acronym "GOAT" ("Greatest of All Time"), often in reference to athletes. It might also be sent to a friend after a particularly impressive accomplishment, or perhaps sarcastically after a major slip-up.
🫖 Teapot
The teapot emoji can be used to represent drinking tea or tea time, but it's popularly used as a stand-in for the slang phrase "spill the tea," referring to gossip.
💪 Flexed Biceps
The flexed bicep emoji is used to reference physical strength or working out, but it can also be used to refer to perseverance or to offer support.
👏 Clapping Hands Sign
The meaning of the clapping hands emoji depends on its usage. Used multiple times in a row, it indicates a round of applause. Using it as a staccato beat in between words, however, is a passive-aggressive way of emphasizing a point.
💯 Hundred Points Symbol
The 100 emoji, red and underlined, indicates something is real or authentic. It can be used to show agreement or support, or to represent pride in an accomplishment. Line it up with a few flexed biceps for a super-strong show of support.
🙏 Person With Folded Hands
The folded hands emoji can mean "please" or "thank you," or be used as a gesture of prayer, hope, or respect. It's rarely used to mean "high five," so expect confusion if you send it as a form of congratulations.
💡 Electric Lightbulb
The lightbulb emoji is used to indicate an idea or the act of thinking, as in "a lightbulb went on in my head." With a dash of self-deprecating sarcasm, it can imply that something should have been an easy idea to understand.
🤔 Thinking Face
The thinking face emoji is one of the few emoji faces to include a hand. This emoji can represent thinking, but it can also be used to indicate the sender is questioning or mocking something, depending on the context.
Featured image: Delmaine Donson/ iStock