Snicker
/ˈsnɪkər/noun
To give a sly, suppressed, or scornful laugh.
Did you know?Snicker is a close cousin of words built around the ancient Germanic idea of sudden, sharp laughter, and its sneaky sound helped it feel like the laugh itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sneigʷʰ-
“To laugh, snicker, or make a sharp expressive sound”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*snikaną
“To laugh quietly or make a snorting, suppressed sound”
Middle English
English
snikken
“To snigger or laugh in a restrained, mocking way”
17th Century
English
snicker
“A sly, smothered laugh; to laugh in a concealed or contemptuous way”
Modern English
English
snicker
“To laugh in a quiet, disrespectful, or derisive way”