Selfie is a relatively new word, though it is known and used the world over. We will examine the definition of the word selfie, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
A selfie is a photograph of oneself, a self-portrait, usually taken with a smartphone or webcam, that is then shared through social media such as Snapchat, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, etc., usually with a hashtag. Some people earn their living by taking selfies with their cell phones, posing with products for pay, or simply traveling to interesting places to take a picture in a beautiful area and post it to their followers. Some celebrities, actors, actresses, and professional photographers upload a selfie every day. The Kardashian family is famous for being able to capture a portrait or snap a pose that goes viral. Once a selfie starts trending the subject may become a meme and enjoy a bit of internet fame, which can be fleeting. When trying to catch a wide angle, a person might use a selfie stick which in essence, extends the length of one’s arm. A popular way to take a selfie is to photograph one’s reflection in the bathroom mirror, over the vanity. However, once uploaded on social media, such selfies often accidentally reveal things in the background that the subject wished to conceal. Many people ridicule the trend to take and post selfies on social media, saying it is narcissistic to promote cults of personality and to become obsessed with faces. The phenomenon of the selfie has been around as long as photography. Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia is credited with taking the first selfie in 1913, in a mirror. The word selfie was first used on an internet forum in 2002, by an Australian named Nathan Hope. While Hope is credited with coining the word selfie, he insists that it was a word in common usage among his acquaintances. Selfie is a hypocorism, which is a phenomenon of turning words in diminutives, usually by adding the ie sound to the end of the word. This is common in Australia, as noted in the words barbie for barbecue, footy for football, and postie for postal worker. The word selfie was the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year in 2013. The plural of selfie is selfies.
Examples
She and GarcÃa took a selfie; they were bundled in scarves and winter coats. (The New Yorker)
The reality star revealed he and Amelia were dating by sharing a selfie of the pair together on Instagram on Tuesday, with brunette beauty Amelia soon following suit hours later. (The Daily Mail)
Selfies are a staple of social media, but a Los Angeles doctor said flexing your wrist inward to take that perfectly angled photograph can cause numbness and tingling sensations, KABC reported. (The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
One relationship expert warns a flurry of selfies and Facebook statuses aren’t always a sign of a happy relationship – and those who appear most loved-up could be having serious problems. (The Sun)