English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

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

Pronunciation [ edit ]

( US ) enPR: chôr'təl , IPA (key) : /ˈt͡ʃɔɹtəl/ , [ˈt͡ʃɔɹɾɫ̩]

enPR: , IPA : , Audio (US)

Audio (AU) Rhymes: -ɔː(r)təl

Noun [ edit ]

chortle (plural chortles)

A joyful, somewhat muffled laugh, rather like a snorting chuckle. He frequently interrupted himself with chortles while he told us his favorite joke. A similar sounding vocalisation of various birds.

Synonyms [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ]

chortle (third-person singular simple present chortles, present participle chortling, simple past and past participle chortled)

( intransitive ) To laugh with a chortle or chortles. The old fellow chortled as he recalled his youthful adventures. 1871 — Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky 'O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy.

Synonyms [ edit ]

chuckle

See also Thesaurus:laugh