laughter
Americannoun
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laughter
plural
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the action or sound of laughing.
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an inner quality, mood, disposition, etc., suggestive of laughter; mirthfulness.
a man of laughter and goodwill.
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an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement.
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Archaic. an object of laughter; subject or matter for amusement.
noun
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the action of or noise produced by laughing
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the experience or manifestation of mirth, amusement, scorn, or joy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of laughter
before 900; Middle English; Old English hleahtor; cognate with Old High German hlahtar, Old Norse hlātr; see laugh
Explanation
Whether you giggle or chuckle or snort with amusement, what you're producing is laughter. Laughter is also what people hear when you laugh. Funny movies, your friends' jokes, and absurd or embarrassing situations all cause laughter, which is the word for both the action and the sound of someone laughing. Laughter can be a silent, shaking movement, or a loud guffaw. There are a few other primates besides humans who experience laughter, and most babies can shake with laughter before they're even able to speak.
Vocabulary lists containing laughter
Comedy Lingo
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Spelling Practice 2, Unit 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There were some nights of he-said/she-said stuff and unresolved issues from past trips but it was also several amazing days of belly laughter and total joy,” Elise says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Dogs are exceptionally skilled at reading human emotions, from smiles and laughter to frowns and tears.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
There were a lot of stories, old photos, laughter and love being passed around from people who haven’t touched the campus in four decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Speaking about Nala, he added: "She was full of infectious joy and laughter."
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“No wonder Uncle Jonah didn’t have a tooth left in his head,” Pa said, and they exploded into laughter, though going without teeth didn’t seem too funny to me.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
