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Webster 1913 Edition

Laughter

Laugh′ter

,
Noun.
[AS.
hleahtor
; akin to OHG.
hlahtar
, G.
gelächter
, Icel.
hlātr
, Dan.
latter
. See
Laugh
,
Verb.
I.
]
A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the face, particularly of the lips, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction, or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs. See
Laugh
,
Verb.
I.
The act of
laughter
, which is a sweet contraction of the muscles of the face, and a pleasant agitation of the vocal organs, is not merely, or totally within the jurisdiction of ourselves.
Sir T. Browne.
Archly the maiden smiled, and with eyes overrunning with
laughter
.
Longfellow.

Webster 1828 Edition

Laughter

LAUGHTER

,
Noun.
l'affter. Convulsive merriment; an expression of mirth peculiar to man, consisting in a peculiar noise and configuration of features, with a shaking of the sides and expulsion of breath.
I said of laughter, it is mad. Eccles. 2.

Definition 2024

laughter

laughter

English

Alternative forms

Noun

laughter ‎(usually uncountable, plural laughters)

  1. The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound.
    Their loud laughter betrayed their presence.‎
    • 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
      There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town.
  2. A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the laughing face, particularly of the lips, and of the whole body, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs.
    • Thomas Browne (1605-1682)
      The act of laughter, which is a sweet contraction of the muscles of the face, and a pleasant agitation of the vocal organs, is not merely, or totally within the jurisdiction of ourselves.
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
      Archly the maiden smiled, and with eyes overrunning with laughter.
  3. (archaic) A reason for merriment.

Related terms

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old English hleahtor ‎(“laughter, jubilation, derision”), from Proto-Germanic *hlahtraz ‎(“laughter”), from Proto-Indo-European *klek-, *kleg- ‎(“to shout”). Cognate with German Gelächter ‎(“laughter, hilarity, merriment”), Danish and Norwegian latter ‎(“laughter”), Icelandic hlátur ‎(“laughter”). More at laugh.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈlɑːftə/
  • (US) enPR: lăfʹtər, IPA(key): /ˈlæftɚ/
  • Rhymes: -ɑːftə(r)
The sound of a person laughing.

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