Sniggering
/ˈsnɪɡərɪŋ/noun
Laughing in a quiet, disrespectful, or mocking way.
Did you know?Snigger is a later spelling variant of snicker, and both are tied to older Germanic words for “laugh” or “giggle,” not to any occult or sinister root despite the vibe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sneuk- / *snik-
“An imitative base associated with sniffling, laughing, or making a small nasal sound”
Old English
OE
snīcan / snīgrian
“To make a small sound; related expressive forms used for snickering-type noises”
Middle English
ME
snikken / sniggen
“To laugh or make a suppressed sound, often mockingly”
18th Century
English
snigger
“To laugh in a covert, insulting, or contemptuous way”
Modern English
English
sniggering
“The act of laughing quietly and disrespectfully”