giggle

Meaning

Verb

To laugh gently in a playful, nervous, or affected manner.

Noun

1. A high-pitched, silly laugh.
2. (informal) Fun; an amusing episode.

Synonyms

titter

chuckle

laugh

😆

snicker

snigger

chortle

smile

😄

cackle

sneer

squeak

giggling

grin

😁

simper

guffaw

be in stitches

heehaw

laughter

laugh up one’s sleeve

peep

roar

smirk

😏

sniggering

tee-hee

tehee

twitter

suppressed laugh

show the teeth

amuse

Translations

kichern

ricaner

Gekicher

risita

ridacchiare

χαχανίζω

giechelen

γέλιο

ricanement

χασκογελώ

ridacchiare nervosamente

risatina nervosa

rialleta

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɡɪɡl̩/

Etymology

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: güüchelje

Cognate with Western Frisian: giechelje

Cognate with Dutch: giechelen

Cognate with German: giggln

Cognate with German: gickeln

Cognate with Swiss German: Guege

In summary

Early 16th century, probably of imitative origin.
Or, perhaps a frequentative based on dialectal English gig (“to creak”), from Middle English gigen (“to make a creaking sound”) + -le; or perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin: compare Saterland Frisian güüchelje (“to giggle”), West Frisian giechelje (“to giggle”), Dutch giechelen (“to giggle”), German Low German giecheln (“to giggle”), dialectal German giggln, gigglen (“to giggle”), German gickeln (“to giggle”). All of these words are likely onomatopoeic as well. Also compare Alemannic German Guege (“fiddle”).