English edit

Etymology edit

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.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

chortle (plural chortles)

  1. A joyful, somewhat muffled laugh, rather like a snorting chuckle.
    He frequently interrupted himself with chortles while he told us his favorite joke.
  2. 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)

  1. (intransitive) To laugh with a chortle or chortles.
    The old fellow chortled as he recalled his youthful adventures.

Synonyms edit

Translations edit