giggle

[ gig-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

, gig·gled, gig·gling.

1. to laugh in a silly, often high-pitched way, especially with short, repeated gasps and titters, as from juvenile or ill-concealed amusement or nervous embarrassment.

   Synonyms: chuckle, snigger, snicker

noun

1. a silly, spasmodic laugh; titter.

   Synonyms: chuckle, snigger, snicker

2. Slang. an amusing experience, incident, etc.:

   Going to a silly movie was always a giggle.

giggle

/ ˈɡɪɡəl /

verb

1. intr to laugh nervously or foolishly

noun

1. such a laugh
2. informal.
   something or someone that provokes amusement
3. the giggles
   a fit of prolonged and uncontrollable giggling
4. for a giggle informal.
   as a joke or prank; not seriously

Derived Forms

• ˈgiggler, noun
• ˈgiggly, adjective
• ˈgigglingly, adverb
• ˈgiggling, nounadjective

Other Words From

• giggler noun
• giggling·ly adverb
• giggly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of giggle¹

1500–10; imitative; compare Dutch gigelen, German gickeln. See -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of giggle¹

C16: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

The first time he sat in a room with his cousin Sam—hardly more than a baby himself—Otto erupted in giggles we’d never heard from him.

From Time

So just for a giggle — I’ll be honest here, just for a giggle — we ran off a roundabout calendar to give to our customers.

From Freakonomics

“So cute,” the female speaker responds, breaking out into giggles.

From Washington Post

Diamond Miller is the lanky, 6-foot-3 New Jersey native from a family of basketball players who is quick to flash a smile and share a giggle.

From Washington Post

Those giggles and guffaws can seem like just silly throwaways.

From No Straight News

They will shriek and giggle, half-scared and half-delighted, when their father pretends to be a monster that will eat them up.

From The Daily Beast

The Golden Girls can make you giggle, then wipe a tear, in a twenty-second span.

From The Daily Beast

The second he does, her giggle sends the Queen of Spades cascading to the brown tile floor below.

From The Daily Beast

I spend waking hours in a fog of delirium, punctuated by uncontrollable giggle fits, heart palpitations, and mental anguish.

From The Daily Beast

But Camille had to play her part—so she got mad at Sebastian on camera, trying not to giggle through the scene.

From The Daily Beast

She laughed a little hollow laugh—a poor little, weak, stagey giggle.

From Project Gutenberg

Others will receive every observation with a little hysterical giggle.

From Project Gutenberg

Chasing close behind the musical contagion of his deep guffaws followed the softer, gentler giggle of the dainty pink-veiled lady.

From Project Gutenberg

Although used to the nonsense of the children, Sarah couldn't entirely repress a giggle as Kitty glared at her.

From Project Gutenberg

Here Mrs. Twitchel looked up from her knitting, with apologetic giggle at Mrs. Brown.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cackle
• chuckle
• guffaw
• laugh
• snicker