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Laughter

//ˈlɑːftə// name, noun

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

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

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.

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