What does laugh mean?
To laugh is to express amusement, pleasure, or delight through sounds that combine vocalization with repeated breathing. The word can also describe laughing at someone, usually with the implication of ridicule, mockery, or dismissal, and it appears in idioms such as “laugh aloud,” “burst into laughter,” and “laugh off.” Its meaning is generally neutral, although “laughing at” can be unkind or contemptuous depending on context. As a noun, a laugh is an individual act or sound of amusement, while “laughter” more often refers to the general phenomenon or sound of laughing. The word is one of the most familiar expressions of positive emotion in English and is also widely used figuratively to describe situations that are conspicuously absurd or unworthy of serious attention.
To express amusement, happiness, or delight by making characteristic vocal sounds.
"Everyone laughed when the cat stole the professor's sandwich."
Also used figuratively for ridicule or dismissal, especially in the construction “laugh at.”
An act or sound of laughing; the expression of amusement through vocal sounds.
"His loud laugh drew attention from the next table."
A single laugh is often counted with “a,” while “laughter” usually refers more generally to the act or sound of laughing.
From an Old English root shared with German “lachen,” “laugh” is among the most universal human expressions of amusement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laugh come from?
The English verb comes from Old English hlæhhan, meaning “to laugh,” and is related to the Old English noun hleahtor, “laughter.” Its Germanic relatives include German lachen and Dutch lachen, reflecting a shared ancestral form. The modern spelling “laugh” developed through the influence of related forms and established English usage, while the noun “laughter” retains the older root in a different grammatical form.
Related word forms
How laugh is actually used
Generally neutral and widely used. In formal writing, “laugh at” can imply ridicule or contempt, so context matters. “Laugh” is often used figuratively in phrases such as “laugh off” and “laugh something off.”
Easily confused with laugh
“Laugh” is the act of expressing amusement, while “laughable” is an adjective meaning worthy of being laughed at.
“Laugh” is a verb describing the act of laughing, while “laughter” is the noun for the sound or experience of laughing.