The term "meme," derived from the Greek word "mimema" meaning "something imitated," was coined by evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, which focuses on the importance of self-replication in natural selection.
Memes go through a process of "memetic evolution" through which they self-replicate, mutate and respond to selective pressures. This process is arguably the most visible online, where we’ve seen memes evolve and mutate countless times. However, it’s important to keep in mind that memes are not an online-only phenomenon, with some of the earliest memes far-predating the internet.
Reference:https://trending.knowyourmeme.com/editorials/insights/what-is-a-meme-the-history-and-evolution-of-memes-explained