titter

[tit-er]

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verb (used without object)

to laugh in a restrained, self-conscious, or affected way, as from nervousness or in ill-suppressed amusement.

noun

a tittering laugh.

Origin of titter

1610–20; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse tittra to quiver, Swedish (dial.) tittra to giggle

Related formstit·ter·er, nountit·ter·ing·ly, adverbun·tit·ter·ing, adjective

Synonyms for titter

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1. snicker, snigger, giggle.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for titter

cackle, guffaw, chortle, twitter, snicker, snigger, chuckle, hee-haw

Examples from the Web for titter

Contemporary Examples of titter

Like a Kinsey Report for the big-data era, there's a gold mine of findings here to titter about.
Heartache by the Numbers and OkCupid’s Founder Has Got Yours
Will Doig
October 6, 2014
Admittedly, Weinergate came with a set of fun photos to titter over.
Pelosi Boots Another Scoundrel
Michelle Cottle
July 26, 2011

Historical Examples of titter

In the middle of it I saw Clara begin to titter, but she did not interrupt him.
Wilfrid Cumbermede
George MacDonald
"Have a care of the sentinel on the hill-top," Sakr-el-Bahr admonished him, provoking a titter.
The Sea-Hawk
Raphael Sabatini
For a moment there was silence, save for a titter from the group of seamen.
The Wild Geese
Stanley John Weyman
And best of all, there's no mob of nit-wits to titter and smirk.
David Lannarck, Midget
George S. Harney
There was a titter of laughter at this piece of information.
The Hero of Garside School
J. Harwood Panting

British Dictionary definitions for titter

titter

verb

(intr) to snigger, esp derisively or in a suppressed way
(tr) to express by tittering

noun

a suppressed laugh, chuckle, or snigger

Derived Formstitterer, nountittering, adjectivetitteringly, adverb

Word Origin for titter

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

1610s, "giggle in a suppressed or covert way," probably of imitative origin. Related: Tittered; tittering. The noun is first recorded 1728.