Emojis have been around since the 1990s, but in today’s truly digital age they're more popular than ever, as we constantly look for quicker, snappier ways to communicate, and 2015 has seen a particular peak in their usage.When Oxford Dictionaries partnered with mobile technology business SwiftKey to look at the figures, it was revealed that the ‘face with tears of joy’ made up 20% of all UK emoji’s used, making it the stand-out choice.

Speaking of the pictograph being the first ever to make Word of the Year, the President of Oxford Dictionaries, Casper Grathwohl said:

“You can see how traditional alphabet scripts have been struggling to meet the rapid-fire, visually focused demands of 21st Century communication. It’s not surprising that a pictographic script like emoji has stepped in to fill those gaps—it’s flexible, immediate, and infuses tone beautifully.

“As a result emoji are becoming an increasingly rich form of communication, one that transcends linguistic borders. When Andy Murray tweeted out his wedding itinerary entirely in emoji, for example, he shared a subtle mix of his feelings about the day directly with fans around the world. It was highly effective in expressing his emotions.”

Can you guess what the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2015 is? Hint: it’s not a word