lmao

LMAO is an internet initialism used to express strong amusement in informal digital communication. The most common expansion is "laughing my ass off," though some speakers use "laughing my arse off" or "laughing my head off" as variants. The form can be written as lmao or LMAO, with capitalization often signaling level of emphasis.

Use: in text messages, social media posts, forums, and video game chats. It typically indicates that something is very funny, often more intense than "lol" or "rofl." It can also be used sarcastically or to exaggerate a reaction. Some users may employ "lmao" to convey a light, playful tone rather than genuine laughter, depending on context.

History and orthography: The term arose in online communities in the late 1990s and early 2000s as part of evolving internet slang. Variants include LMFAO (adding "fucking") for stronger emphasis. Mutations like lmao, LMAO, or LMFAO appear in casual writing, memes, and captions. In some cases, "lmaooo" or elongated forms indicate even greater amusement.

Reception and usage: While widely understood, lmao is informal and considered inappropriate in formal writing. Some platforms limit profanity or require moderation, though "lmao" is generally tolerated. The term has become part of online culture and appears in dictionaries as a gloss for "laughing my ass off" in modern usage.