snicker
snicker Lexical Profile
snicker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A smothered, disrespectful, or sly laugh.
"A quiet snicker echoed from the back of the classroom when the speaker mispronounced the name."
A gentle, low neigh or whinny made by a horse.
"The mare greeted her handler with a soft snicker as he approached the stall."
• verb
North American To give a half-suppressed, covert, or disrespectful laugh.
"Several students began to snicker when the projector malfunctioned during the lecture."
To make a gentle, low neighing sound (of a horse).
"The ponies began to snicker eagerly at the sound of the feed bucket."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Snicker" is the standard spelling in American English, whereas "snigger" is preferred in British English.
• Rhymes for snicker
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Attested from the late 17th century, the word is of imitative origin, originally mimicking the low neighing of a horse and later a half-suppressed laugh.