Meaning

noun a representation of a facial expression (as a smile or frown) created by typing a sequence of characters in sending email

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁-der. Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Latin ēmoveō Vulgar Latin *exmovēre Old French esmovoir Middle French esmouvoir Middle French emotionbor. English emotion Ancient Greek εἰκών (eikṓn)der. Latin īcōnbor. English icon blend English…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0