texter

Texter is a noun used to describe a person who communicates primarily through text messages. The term is formed by adding the agent suffix -er to text, and it gained widespread usage during the expansion of mobile texting in the late 1990s and 2000s. A texter may use SMS, MMS, or messages via internet-based apps to exchange information, coordinate plans, or maintain contact.

Texting frequently employs abbreviated language, acronyms, and emoji, a form sometimes referred to as textese. The style is shaped by device constraints and social norms around response times and politeness. Texters may vary in their reliance on shorthand, emoji, or longer messages depending on context and relationship.

The ubiquity of smartphones and messaging apps has made texting a common mode of communication across age groups. While texting can supplement other forms of interaction, concerns have been raised about distraction, miscommunication, and the potential for misinterpretation of tone in short messages. The concept of the texter's dilemma describes the tension between wanting to respond quickly and the desire not to overwhelm others with immediate communication; it has been discussed in media and communication literature.

Beyond individuals, "texter" can also be used as a surname in some cultures. The term is closely related to, but distinct from, "texting" as an activity; "texter" emphasizes the person rather than the act of sending text.