Emoji dictionary
😉 Winking Face emoji
[wingk-ing feys ih-moh-jee]
What does 
Winking Face emoji mean?
The winking face emoji is a great go-to emoji for flirtatious situations. Though it’s often used to flirt, this emoji is also a useful way to playfully joke or to silently let the reader in on a secret. It can also be used to hint at desirable outcomes or to prod someone to take a particular action.
The winking face emoji’s predecessor is the ;) emoticon, which is still used today.
Examples of 😉 Winking Face emoji
I am so excited to say that I am now accepting guests! #houston
Who uses 😉 Winking Face emoji?
One of the primary uses of the winking face emoji (sometimes called the winky face emoji) is to express flirtation.
The winking face emoji also functions as a way to imply that someone is just joking around, often accompanied by comments that are meant to be taken in jest. It can also help to mark a lighthearted tone or a positive or playful attitude.
The winking face emoji can also be used to communicate irony, or to imply a hidden meaning. When the creator of 400 of Apple’s first set of 500 emoji was asked why the pile of poo emoji and the soft ice cream emoji looked so similar on Apple devices, he replied that “some design elements may have been reused between them.” He ended this comment with the winking face emoji.
The winking face emoji’s predecessor was the ;) or ;-) emoticon. Unlike the winking face emoji, it’s made completely from standard English keyboard characters. It dominated digital spaces long before the rise of emoji, and continues to be enjoyed by people who prefer emoticons to emoji, and on platforms where it’s difficult to type emoji.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of 😉 Winking Face emoji like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of 😉 Winking Face emoji that will help our users expand their word mastery.