Meme vs. Caption — What's the Difference?

A meme ( MEEM) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices, that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme.

A title, short explanation, or description accompanying an illustration or a photograph.

An element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means.

A series of words superimposed on the bottom of television or motion picture frames that communicate dialogue to the hearing-impaired or translate foreign dialogue.

An image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.

A title or heading, as of a document or article.

A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

(Law) The heading of a pleading or other document that identifies the parties, court, term, and number of the action.

An image or short video clip, often accompanied by a humorous saying or popular catchphrase, that is transmitted virally, especially on social media.

To furnish a caption for.

A humorous saying or popular catchphrase that is transmitted virally, especially as a caption for such an image or video clip.

(typography) The descriptive heading or title, of a document or part thereof.

(originally) Any unit of (originally cultural) information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another in a comparable way to the transmission of genes.

A title or brief explanation attached to an illustration, cartoon, user interface element, etc.

(Internet) Media, usually humorous, which is copied and circulated online with slight adaptations, such as basic pictures, video templates, etc.

A piece of text appearing on screen as a subtitle or other part of a film or broadcast, describing dialogue (and sometimes other sound) for viewers who cannot hear.

(Internet) A specific instance of a meme, such as an image macro or a video, often with humorous superimposed text.

(legal) The section on an official paper (for example, as part of a seizure or capture) that describes when, where, and what was taken, found or executed, and who authorized the act.

Something not to be taken seriously; a joke.

A seizure or capture, especially of tangible property (chattel).

Granny; nana

To add captions to a text or illustration.

To create and use humorous memes.

To add captions to a film or broadcast.

To turn into a meme; to use a meme, especially to achieve a goal in real life.

A caviling; a sophism.

To joke around.

The act of taking or arresting a person by judicial process.

A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by nongenetic means (as by imitation);

That part of a legal instrument, as a commission, indictment, etc., which shows where, when, and by what authority, it was taken, found, or executed.

The heading of a chapter, section, or page.

Taking exception; especially an quibble based on a captious argument;

Translation of foreign dialogue of a movie or TV program; usually displayed at the bottom of the screen

Brief description accompanying an illustration

Provide with a caption, as of a photograph or a drawing