chuckle

[ chuhk-uh l ]
/ ˈtʃʌk əl /

verb (used without object), chuck·led, chuck·ling.

to laugh softly or amusedly, usually with satisfaction: They chuckled at the child's efforts to walk.
to laugh to oneself: to chuckle while reading.
Obsolete. to cluck, as a fowl.

noun

a soft laugh, usually of satisfaction.
Obsolete. the cluck of a hen.

Origin of chuckle

First recorded in 1590–1600; chuck3 + -le

SYNONYMS FOR chuckle

4 See laugh.

OTHER WORDS FROM chuckle

chuck·ler, noun chuck·ling·ly, adverb

Example sentences from the Web for chuckle

British Dictionary definitions for chuckle

chuckle
/ (ˈtʃʌkəl) /

verb (intr)

to laugh softly or to oneself
(of animals, esp hens) to make a clucking sound

noun

a partly suppressed laugh

Derived forms of chuckle

chuckler, noun chucklingly, adverb

Word Origin for chuckle

C16: probably from chuck ³