uwu
An internet emoticon and slang term representing a cute, tender, or overwhelmingly affectionate facial expression — the 'u' characters suggest closed, happy eyes and the 'w' is a cute animal-style mouth. Associated with anime fandom, furry communities, and generally soft, saccharine internet culture. Deployed sincerely in those communities and ironically or mockingly outside them. Often used as an adjective or exclamation conveying maximum cuteness.
“She replied to the fan art with just 'uwu' and the artist absolutely lost their mind.”
Origin: An emoticon of uncertain precise origin, emerging from anime and furry internet communities in the 2010s. The characters represent stylized cute facial features when viewed as an emoji face. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.