Laughing

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈlɑːfɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The act of making sounds as a reaction to something amusing or joyful, producing a response to humor or enjoyment, which reflects a state of fun or happiness
2. Generating vocal expressions that indicate pleasure or amusement, often triggered by humor or entertaining situations, revealing an emotional response of joy or fun
3. Making spontaneous vocal noises that show enjoyment or humor, often in social settings

Etymology: "Laughing" is the present participle and gerund of "laugh," so its history is essentially that of the verb itself, with the ending added on top. The verb comes from Middle English, where it appeared in forms such as "laughen," and it belongs to the wider family of Germanic words for this sound, which reflects how English speakers have long tried to put laughter into words. The suffix "-ing" does the grammatical work here. It turns the verb into a form that can describe an ongoing action, as in "a laughing crowd," or name the action itself, as in "her laughing filled the room." In the Middle English spelling "laughynge," the ending is already recognisable, showing that the combination of stem and suffix was well established by the time the form was written down.

Synonyms: giggling, chuckling, snickering

Antonyms: crying, sobbing