snicker

[ snik-er ]

/ ˈsnɪk ər /

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See synonyms for: snicker / snickered / snickering / snickers on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to laugh in a half-suppressed, indecorous or disrespectful manner.

verb (used with object)

to utter with a snicker.

noun

a snickering laugh.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also snigger.

Origin of snicker

First recorded in 1685–95; of expressive origin

OTHER WORDS FROM snicker

snick·er·ing·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH snicker

sneaker, snicker

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use snicker in a sentence

“Sorry, David Sirota, Looks Like Boston Bombing Suspects Not White Americans,” snickered a headline in Newsbusters.
Are The Tsarnaevs White?|Peter Beinart|April 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Tweeters snickered about the sparring to come between European leaders over who would collect the prize in person on Dec. 10.
The EU Won What?! Europe Reacts to Nobel|Tracy McNicoll|October 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I know that some of you are appalled, and that some of you snickered.
Dwarf Tossing Should Be Illegal|Bill Klein|October 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Jimmieboy smiled over it; the sprite snickered, and the major threw himself down on the grass in a perfect paroxysm of laughter.
In Camp With A Tin Soldier|John Kendrick Bangs

And Forbes, suddenly understanding what he had done, snickered too, and just managed to throttle down a loud guffaw.
What Will People Say?|Rupert Hughes
Bascomb's friends snickered, and the big yearling proceeded to address himself directly to Davis.
Frank Merriwell's Chums|Burt L. Standish
“For the thirty-first,” I replied blandly while Checkers snickered.
Polly the Pagan|Isabel Anderson
"He is preparing a little comedy I might dub the same name," she snickered.
The ghosts of their ancestors|Weymer Jay Mills

British Dictionary definitions for snicker

snicker

/ (ˈsnɪkə) /

noun

mainly US and Canadian a sly or disrespectful laugh, esp one partly stifled

verb

to utter such a laughEquivalent term (in Britain and certain other countries): snigger

(of a horse) to whinny

Word Origin for snicker

C17: probably of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

snicker

Origin of snicker

OTHER WORDS FROM snicker

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH snicker

Words related to snicker

How to use snicker in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for snicker

Word Origin for snicker