How to Pronounce Meme

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Co-authored by Stephanie Jeret and Kyle Hall

Last Updated: November 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using the Right Pronunciation

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Remembering the Pronunciation

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Are you one of the millions of Internet users who enjoy their daily stream of "meme" content while harboring a dark secret: that you don't know how to actually pronounce "meme?" Don't worry—according to the Oxford English Dictionary (and many other sources), the correct pronunciation for "meme" is "meem" (rhymes with "team").^{[1]
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Meme Pronunciation

Meme is pronounced like “meem.” Originally, “meme” meant something, an idea, an image, etc., that was passed through a culture and affected its evolution—like a gene.

Part 1

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Using the Right Pronunciation

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1
Pronounce “meme” with a long “e” sound, like "meem". Although it may not look like it, “meme” should be pronounced with a long “e.” When you say it, you should only be using 1 syllable.^{[2]
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- Always use the long “e” sound, never the short “e” sound or an “a” sound.
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Don’t pronounce “meme” like “may may.” While it may look like “meme” should be pronounced this way, “may may” is in fact incorrect. Remember: you should never be using an “a” sound when you’re saying “meme.”^{[3]
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- It's helpful to remember that the word "meme" doesn't have the letter "a" in it, and it also isn't pronounced with an "a" sound.
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Avoid pronouncing "meme" like “mee mee.” Pronouncing “meme” like “mee mee” is also a common mispronunciation. To get it right, say it like “meem” with a long “e” sound.^{[4]
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- Remember that the last “e” in “meme” is silent.
“Mehm” or "maim" is getting closer, but it's still incorrect. To pronounce “meme” correctly, you need to use a long “e” sound.

Part 2

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Remembering the Pronunciation

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1
Remember that “meme” rhymes with words like “team” and “beam.” To keep yourself from stumbling over the pronunciation in the future, try to remember different words that “meme” rhymes with. Then, it will be easier to remember the correct way to say the word. Other words that rhyme with “meme” are:^{[5]
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- Dream
- Cream
- Seam
- Stream
- Theme
- Ream
- Beam
- Supreme
- Color scheme
Practice makes perfect. "I really had lots of trouble saying meme. I would always say maymay and people would laugh, but after practicing, I learned it fluently!" - Jobou J.

Listen and repeat. "I never knew how to say meme correctly until I read this amazing article. I would be laughed at all day long for pronouncing meme incorrectly and now that won't happen anymore! Yay!" - Devaier J.

Engage with fun memes. "I can finally pronounce meme correctly. My friends have stopped making fun of me and calling me a 'normie'. Now I can share my funny cat memes with pride!" - Jim T.

Get involved with the community. "Like most Internet users, I didn't know how to pronounce "meme." This article was very helpful and allowed me to finally talk to the meme-making community without embarrassing myself." - Francis Y.

Have a story our readers should hear? Share it with 1 billion+ annual wikiHow users. Tell us your story here.
2
Switch the last 2 letters before you pronounce it. Given the way that “meme” is spelled, it’s no surprise that the pronunciation is tricky. One way to overcome this is to get in the habit of switching the last 2 letters, “m” and “e,” whenever you are reading or saying the word. When you switch the last 2 letters, the word looks like “meem,” which is easier to pronounce correctly.^{[6]
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- Over time, you’ll start to automatically pronounce “meme” like “meem.”
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Remember that the word “meme” was created to be similar to the word “gene.” The word “meme” may have a bizarre spelling, but that’s because the person who created the word, famous author and researcher Richard Dawkins, wanted it to have a similar spelling to “gene.” In the mid-1970s, Dawkins coined the term “meme” to describe ideas that spread between people, kind of like how genes replicate and get passed on to others.^{[7]
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- If you’re ever struggling to remember the right pronunciation, just think about the origins of the word to help you out. The word “gene” is pronounced with a long “e” sound, and the last “e” is silent, just like how “meme” is pronounced.

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How do I get my normie friend to learn how to pronounce "meme" and not be an embarrassment?

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Teach them how to do it with your newfound knowledge, and/or show them this article before they engage in another conversation.

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Are others way of pronouncing "meme" acceptable on the internet?

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Of course not.

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What is a dank meme?

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A dank meme is a meme that has been used so much that it has surpassed all other memes.

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