What does "laughter" mean?
The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound.
Laughter
/ˈlɑːftə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound.
- Grammar: laughter is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: laugh, amusement, belly laugh, bellylaugh.
- Useful contrasts: prolonged weeping, crickets, cry.
- Usage evidence: All at once the bride burst into laughter.
How to use "laughter"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "laughter" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "laughter" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "laughter" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "laughter" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "laughter" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "laugh" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "laughter", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound. uncountable, usually
"Their loud laughter betrayed their presence."
- 2 the activity of laughing; the manifestation of joy or mirth or scorn wordnet
- 3 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. uncountable, usually
"The act of laughter, which is caused by 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."
- 4 the sound of laughing wordnet
- 5 A reason for merriment. archaic, uncountable, usually
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"All at once the bride burst into laughter."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "laughter"?
Common synonyms include: laugh, amusement, belly laugh, bellylaugh, boff, boffola.
How do you use "laughter" in a sentence?
All at once the bride burst into laughter.
How do you pronounce "laughter"?
Pronounced /ˈlɑːftə/.
Etymology
From Middle English laughter, laghter, laȝter, 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.