laughter

American  

[laf-ter, lahf-] / ˈlæf tər, ˈlɑf- /

noun

1. the action or sound of laughing. laughing.

2. an inner quality, mood, disposition, etc., suggestive of laughter; mirthfulness.

   a man of laughter and goodwill.

3. an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement.

4. Archaic. an object of laughter; subject or matter for amusement.

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laughter British  

/ ˈlɑːftə /

noun

1. the action of or noise produced by laughing

2. the experience or manifestation of mirth, amusement, scorn, or joy

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Other Word Forms

• laughterless adjective

Etymology

Origin of laughter

before 900; Middle English; Old English hleahtor; cognate with Old High German hlahtar, Old Norse hlātr; laugh

Example Sentences

“This is an attempt to try to make a very rough and unkind world filled with a little bit more love and laughter,” Poehler said of her show’s mission.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the time, his pronouncement was met with blank faces and stifled laughter.

From The Wall Street Journal

To be joyful in the moments, embrace the grief, the anger, and the laughter, and embrace it all, feel it all in this experience we call our lives,” he added.

From MarketWatch

Reprieve can be found at the movies — whether in the laughter, the screams and the audible reactions, or the heated and excited discussions that happen after the credits roll.

From Salon

“I’m ready to go to the White House,” Zelensky said to laughter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amusement
• chuckle
• giggle
• glee
• guffaw
• hilarity
• laugh
• mirth
• roar
• shout
• shriek
• snicker