giggle

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɡɪɡl̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #12531

Meanings

1

verb
To laugh in a quiet, silly, or nervous way.

The children giggled at the clown's funny faces.
2

noun
A quiet, silly, or nervous laugh.

She let out a giggle when she saw the surprise.
3

noun
Something done for fun or amusement (informal).

We dressed up in silly costumes just for a giggle.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to laugh in a quiet, silly,... laugh titter

2 noun · a quiet, silly, or nervous... titter

3 noun · something done for fun or... funa laughamusement

Word family

Forms giggledgigglesgigglinggigglingly

Derived forms giggledomgigglefestgigglement

Etymology

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”).

gigen Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# giggle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɡɪɡl̩/
**Frequency rank:** 12531

## Meanings
1. To laugh in a quiet, silly, or nervous way.
2. A quiet, silly, or nervous laugh.
3. Something done for fun or amusement (informal).

## Examples
- The children giggled at the clown's funny faces.
- She let out a giggle when she saw the surprise.
- We dressed up in silly costumes just for a giggle.

## Derived Forms
- giggledom
- gigglefest
- gigglement

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: gigen

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Giggle is first attested in the 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”). In current use, the main senses are “To laugh in a quiet, silly, or nervous way” and “A quiet, silly, or nervous laugh”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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