A visual joke often accompanied by text that spreads rapidly from individual
to individual. The exact origin of the term "meme" is unclear, but it was
first used in the 1990s by Richard Dawkins in his book "The Selfish Gene."
He defined a meme as an idea, behavior, or style that is transmitted from
one person to another within a culture.

Dawkins' use of the term caught on among scholars and journalists, who began
to apply the concept to other types of cultural items such as advertisements,
fashion trends, and jokes. Over time, the term "meme" has come to be used
more generally to describe any social behavior that can be repeated and
altered by individuals. Today, the term is widely recognized and applied in
fields ranging from anthropology to psychology to marketing.<|endoftext|>