lolcat: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Highly specific cultural/internet lexicon)Informal, colloquial, internet slang
Quick answer
What does “lolcat” mean?
A humorous internet image macro (a photo of a cat with a deliberately grammatically incorrect, idiosyncratic, or misspelled caption written in a kind of pidgin language, often using 'lolspeak').
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A humorous internet image macro (a photo of a cat with a deliberately grammatically incorrect, idiosyncratic, or misspelled caption written in a kind of pidgin language, often using 'lolspeak')
A cultural phenomenon or sub-genre of internet meme centered around anthropomorphized cats; more broadly, can refer to any cat image intended to be humorous, especially within online communities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The phenomenon is global. The pidgin language ('lolspeak') is based on American internet English but is understood internationally.
Connotations
Equally humorous and niche in both cultures. May be slightly more dated as a meme format, associated with the late 2000s/early 2010s internet culture.
Frequency
Low frequency in formal contexts; used primarily in discussions of internet culture, memes, or humor. Frequency is similar in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “lolcat” in a Sentence
[Someone] posts a lolcat.[A website] is dedicated to lolcats.The caption of the lolcat reads...The lolcat features a cat [doing something].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lolcat” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They spent the afternoon lolcatting, creating silly captions for pet photos.
American English
- Back in 2010, everyone was lolcatting on sites like I Can Has Cheezburger?
adjective
British English
- It had that classic lolcat aesthetic with garish text.
- The forum had a dedicated lolcat thread.
American English
- She sent me a lolcat photo to cheer me up.
- The presentation included a lolcat slide for humor.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Might appear in a presentation about viral marketing or internet trends in an informal tech company.
Academic
Rare. Could appear in cultural studies, media studies, or linguistics papers analyzing internet phenomena and language play ('lolspeak').
Everyday
Used among friends familiar with internet culture, especially when sharing humor online. Not common in spoken face-to-face conversation.
Technical
Used in discussions about memetics, digital culture, or the history of internet humor.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lolcat”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lolcat”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lolcat”
- Using it to describe any funny animal picture (it's specifically cats, and originally with the characteristic caption style).
- Spelling as 'lol cat' or 'LOLcat'. The solid spelling 'lolcat' is standard.
- Pronouncing it as separate words /ˌel əʊ ˈel kæt/ instead of the blended form /ˈlɒlkat/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it has been entered into several major dictionaries (e.g., Oxford English Dictionary) due to its cultural significance, though it remains an informal term.
The intentionally ungrammatical, phonetic, and childlike language used in lolcat captions. Examples include 'I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?' (Can I have a cheeseburger?) and 'IM IN UR [X], [Y]-ING UR [Z]' (I'm in your [X], [verb]-ing your [Z]).
The original, strict definition refers to a static image macro. However, the term is sometimes loosely extended to short videos of cats with similar humorous, text-based overlays, though purists might use 'cat meme' or similar for video formats.
The phenomenon peaked in the mid-to-late 2000s, with websites like 'I Can Has Cheezburger?' (2007) serving as central hubs. They are considered a foundational meme of that era.
A humorous internet image macro (a photo of a cat with a deliberately grammatically incorrect, idiosyncratic, or misspelled caption written in a kind of pidgin language, often using 'lolspeak').
Lolcat is usually informal, colloquial, internet slang in register.
Lolcat: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɒlkat/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɑːlkat/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'LOL' (you laugh) + 'CAT' (the subject) = a picture of a cat that makes you laugh out loud.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTERNET CULTURE IS A ZOO (where lolcats are a specific, amusing exhibit).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'lolcat' in its original, specific sense?