mlem
/mlɛm/
CommonAn active lick or tongue-flick gesture by a cat or dog, especially when tasting the air or licking their nose.
Closely related to blep but distinct: blep is passive (tongue just sitting out), mlem is active (a deliberate lick or flick). Purists in pet internet communities care about this difference.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | the little mlem at the end of this video gets me every time | A small nose-lick at the end of a clip is the cutest part. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 02 | he just tasted the air for no reason. mlem | The cat did a quick air-taste flick unprovoked. | x, 2022 |
| 03 | blep vs mlem debate in my house every night. my husband says this is a mlem. i say blep. we may not survive this | Joking about the genuine in-community debate between blep and mlem. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | she gave me a mlem on the nose. i am healed | Being licked on the nose by a pet feels healing and wholesome. | instagram, 2023 |
Use it when
- A cat or dog actively licks its nose or flicks its tongue.
- A pet tastes the air with a quick tongue movement.
- You are reacting to a video or photo of a pet doing this.
- Captioning the specific licking moment in a photo or video.
Do not use it when
- The tongue is just hanging out without movement.Use “blep” instead.
- The animal is drinking water or eating.
Mlem vs blep
mlem
Mlem is an active lick or deliberate tongue flick.
VS
blep
Blep is passive. The tongue is just sitting out without the animal doing anything with it.
Origin and context
Emerged from the same mid-2010s internet pet culture that produced blep and sploot. Onomatopoeic in origin, mimicking the sound of a soft lick. Spread through Tumblr and Reddit pet communities.
- First seen
- mid-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/mlemUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0