Laugher

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈlɑːfə/

Definitions

1. An individual who vocalizes in a joyful manner in response to something humorous or delightful conveys emotions of happiness through sound
2. A person who emits sounds of mirth and amusement when encountering humor or joy expresses feelings of pleasure and merriment
3. An individual who responds to something funny or enjoyable by producing laughter showcases their emotional happiness and delight

Etymology: "Laugher" is a plain agent-style formation: the verb "laugh" with the suffix "-er," the same ending found in "singer" or "reader." The noun passed into English from Middle English, where it appeared in forms like "lawȝar" and "lawher," before settling into the spelling we use now. The interesting part is what the word was built from. "Laugh" itself came into English from Old English "hliehhan," and the ending "-er" simply marks the person doing the action. A laugher, then, is literally one who laughs, and the word never carried the sharper or mocking sense that sometimes clings to "laughing stock" or "last laugh." Its spelling shifted through the centuries as "gh" dropped its old pronunciation, leaving the modern "laugh" and, with it, the simple form "laugher."

Synonyms: jokester, comic

Antonyms: sadder