titter
[tit-er]
- to laugh in a restrained, self-conscious, or affected way, as from nervousness or in ill-suppressed amusement.
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- a tittering laugh.
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Origin of titter
1610–20; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse tittra to quiver, Swedish (dial.) tittra to giggle
Synonyms
See more synonyms for titter on Thesaurus.com1. snicker, snigger, giggle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for titter
Contemporary Examples
Like a Kinsey Report for the big-data era, there's a gold mine of findings here to titter about.
Admittedly, Weinergate came with a set of fun photos to titter over.
Historical Examples
In the middle of it I saw Clara begin to titter, but she did not interrupt him.
Wilfrid CumbermedeGeorge MacDonald
"Have a care of the sentinel on the hill-top," Sakr-el-Bahr admonished him, provoking a titter.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
For a moment there was silence, save for a titter from the group of seamen.
The Wild GeeseStanley John Weyman
And best of all, there's no mob of nit-wits to titter and smirk.
David Lannarck, MidgetGeorge S. Harney
There was a titter of laughter at this piece of information.
The Hero of Garside SchoolJ. Harwood Panting
titter
- (intr) to snigger, esp derisively or in a suppressed way
- (tr) to express by tittering
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- a suppressed laugh, chuckle, or snigger
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Word Origin
C17: 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
Word Origin and History for titter
v.
1610s, "giggle in a suppressed or covert way," probably of imitative origin. Related: Tittered; tittering. The noun is first recorded 1728.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper