emote

[ ih-moht ]

verb (used without object)

, e·mot·ed, e·mot·ing.

1. to show or pretend emotion:

   to emote over the beauties of nature.

2. to portray emotion in acting, especially exaggeratedly or ineptly; behave theatrically:

   The actress emoted for all she was worth.

3. Digital Technology. (in an online chat or video game) to give a conventionalized descriptive account of an action or emotion or prompt one’s in-game avatar to perform an animated action or emotion using a command or code:

   To emote, type a forward slash and one of the commands from the list in chat.

noun

, Digital Technology.

1. 1. (in an online chat or video game) a typed command or code that is translated into a descriptive account of an action or emotion, or that causes one’s in-game avatar to perform an action or emotion:

      Standard emotes in online video games allow you to cheer, greet, and thank other characters.

   2. (in a video game) the animation that is performed when such a code is entered:

      The first thing I do in a new game is check out my character’s dance emote.

2. (in an online chat) a posted image, especially on the Twitch streaming video channel, that has a fixed but nontransparent meaning in the video gaming community:

   Classic emotes feature popular streamers making faces.

emote

/ ɪˈməʊt /

verb

1. intr to display exaggerated emotion, as in acting; behave theatrically

Derived Forms

• eˈmoter, noun

Other Words From

• e·moter noun
• over·e·mote verb (used without object) overemoted overemoting

Word History and Origins

Origin of emote¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1915–20; Americanism; back formation from emotion

Word History and Origins

Origin of emote¹

C20: back formation from emotion

Example Sentences

What Beyoncé is doing, Palmer says, is performance art — “emoting something that is meant to be an aspirational exploration of feminism, gender-nonconformity but still softness, being assertive, having her peace in chaos with ‘Lemonade.’”

From Los Angeles Times

“For us the only question was, ‘Will Brits be able to emote in the same way as people in the U.S. have done?’ ” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Players can buy dances, known as emotes, with names based on her hit music videos.

From Los Angeles Times

And though the show is soapy and comically frenetic, it offers its ensemble juicy roles to emote to their hearts’ content.

From Los Angeles Times

But it also pre-dates many other traditions which may be why Lee and other stars seem freer to emote.

From Salon