Cachinnate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkækɪneɪt/

Definitions

1. To produce a sound of deep, hearty laughter in a way that is loud and often uncontrollable
2. To engage in a boisterous and explosive display of joy through expressive laughter
3. To laugh in a loud and uncontrollable manner, breaking into bursts of hearty sound

Etymology: "Cachinnate" comes from Latin "cachinnō," meaning "laugh aloud," and the Latin verb is thought to be onomatopoeic, a word built to imitate the sound of loud laughter itself. That is a notable thing about it: rather than being a Greek or Latin root that was reshaped over centuries, it is a sound made into a word, with the harsh "ca" and doubled "nn" mimicking the noise of a raucous laugh. English took the term directly from Latin, keeping the sense of loud, hearty laughter. The verb is a deliberately learned, slightly formal choice, which suits its meaning: where "laugh" is ordinary, "cachinnate" stresses the volume and the abandon of the laughing.

Synonyms: laugh, guffaw