Snigger
/ˈsnɪɡ.ər/noun
To laugh in a quiet, often sly or disrespectful way.
Did you know?Snigger is related to other Germanic words for sneering and laughing, and its history shows how English often turns raw human sounds into words for emotion and social power.
Etymological Timeline
Old Norse / Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*snegg- / *snig-
“A base associated with sneering, snorting, or making a contemptuous sound”
Middle English
English
sniggen
“To laugh or snicker quietly”
16th Century
English
sniggeren
“To laugh in a suppressed or disrespectful way”
Modern English
English
snigger
“To laugh quietly and contemptuously”
Explore more surprising origins