The emote is the emotion that is expressed. And the emoticon shows the expression/feeling on a round pixel ball.

Ane emote?

An emote/emoticon is an expression of someone's feelings and thoughts through 15x15 pixel balls that do and act what you feel inside.

In other words, it's art, deviant art.

What ever the definition, they're definitely both the same thing.

I prefer to think of emotes as little round people.

...they're the same thing?

And Emoticon is a combination word resulting from "Emotion" and "Icon" --- therefore, it is an icon depicting an emotion.

And I've just figured the word "Emote" was a shortened version of the word "Emoticon". Since people refer to "emotes" in the plural sense (implying that "emotes" are ALSO icons that depict an emotion), I've just assumed the two words were synonymous.

...I suppose it could also be a verb, though ("to emote").

It's a bundle of cuteness for me!

"An emote is a round pixel ball. An emoticon is the action/expression it shows."

I beleive a Emote and Emoticon are the same.
As they both are forms of Art that reflect a emotion of action that the Emoticonist tries to reflect upon their audience. To show them how they feel and/or what they want their audience to feel.

Emotion/Icon = emoticon, often abbreviated as emote = animation which portays a feeling or emotion that can't be shown through text. I see the people in the animations as characters.