Definition of CHORTLE

chortle

Meanings

Plural: chortles

Noun

  • a soft partly suppressed laugh
  • A joyful, somewhat muffled laugh, rather like a snorting chuckle.
  • A similar sounding vocalisation of various birds.

Verb

  • laugh quietly or with restraint
  • To laugh with a chortle or chortles.

Origin / Etymology

Perhaps a blend of chuckle + snort. Coined by Lewis Carroll in his poem Jabberwocky, completed in 1855 but only introduced to the public in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass.

Synonyms

chuckle, laugh softly

Scrabble Score: 12

chortle is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
chortle is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
chortle is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

chortle is a valid Words With Friends word