blep
/blɛp/
CommonWhen a cat or other animal lets its tongue stick out just a little, usually without noticing.
Distinct from mlem, which is an active lick. A blep is passive and accidental-looking. The distinction matters to people in pet internet communities.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | she fell asleep mid-blep. i cannot | The cat fell asleep with its tongue still out, which is overwhelmingly cute. | tumblr, 2018 |
| 02 | took 47 photos today. 40 were of the blep | The cat's tongue-out look dominated the photo session. | instagram, 2022 |
| 03 | he doesn't know he's doing it. that's what makes it perfect | The involuntary nature of the blep is what makes it so charming. | reddit, 2023 |
| 04 | rare daytime blep. usually only see these at 3am | Noting that the blep happened at an unusual time. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- A cat has its tongue slightly out in an absent-minded or sleepy way.
- Any small animal has the tip of its tongue poking out involuntarily.
- You are reacting to a photo of an animal doing this.
Do not use it when
- The animal is actively licking something.Use “mlem” instead.
- The tongue is fully out, like panting.
Blep vs mlem
blep
Blep is passive. The tongue sits out without the animal actively doing anything.
VS
mlem
Mlem is active. The animal is in the middle of a lick or tasting the air.
Origin and context
Originated in online pet communities, particularly Tumblr and Reddit, in the mid-2010s. The word is purely internet-invented with no prior linguistic history. Subreddits like r/blep helped spread and codify the term.
- First seen
- mid-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/blepUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0