History of LOL in Timeline

LOL is an internet slang initialism for "laughing out loud." It's used to express amusement, irony, or hidden meanings in online communication. Originating on Usenet, LOL has become common in various digital and even face-to-face interactions. It's part of a group of initialisms that convey physical reactions, particularly laughter, such as LMAO and ROFL, but is often considered less emphatic than these alternatives.

May 8, 1989: Earliest Recorded Mention of LOL

On May 8, 1989, the earliest recorded instance of LOL meaning "Laughing Out Loud" appeared in a list of online acronyms in the FidoNews electronic newsletter, according to the Oxford English Dictionary and linguist Ben Zimmer.

2003: Study on Initialism Use

In 2003, a study by Naomi Baron found that college students' use of initialisms, including LOL, in computer-mediated communication like instant messaging, was less frequent than expected. Out of 2,185 transmissions, only 76 instances of LOL were recorded.

2003: Acronyms Grow and Circulate

In 2003, the proliferation of acronyms, including LOL, was noted among users of Usenet, IRC, and other text-based online communication platforms. These acronyms were compiled into folk dictionaries and shared informally, though their use was controversial.

March 2011: LOL Listed in the Oxford English Dictionary

In March 2011, the Oxford English Dictionary officially included LOL in its listings, marking its formal recognition as a legitimate lexical entry.

March 24, 2011: LOL Formally Recognized in Oxford English Dictionary

On March 24, 2011, the acronym LOL was formally recognized and updated in the Oxford English Dictionary. Research indicated that the earliest usage of LOL was in the 1960s, as an initialism for "little old lady."