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Is there a term for a snort that is almost a laugh (as would occur when looking at a meme in a public space or any situation where something is humorous but it is not acceptable to outright laugh)?

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chortle is not quite specific enough... – astex Jan 31 at 23:50
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Just a few seconds ago I used "snort" (I might have used "snicker") just that way in a comment before reading your question. – Bill Franke Jan 31 at 23:56
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You could start with the sn-words. – John Lawler Feb 1 at 0:15
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What's wrong with "snort"? – Django Reinhardt Feb 1 at 4:21
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Seriously? The PC crowd objects to snigger? That's ridiculous. – terdon Feb 1 at 10:25
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2 Answers

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whicker |ˈ(h)wɪkər|

verb [ intrans. ]

1 utter a half-suppressed laugh; snigger; titter : a half-loony whicker of nerves.

• (of a horse) give a soft breathy whinny : the palomino whickered when she saw him and stamped her foreleg.

2 move with a sound as of something hurtling through or beating the air : the soft whicker of the wind flowing through the July corn.

noun

1 a snigger; a soft, breathy whinny.

2 the sound of something beating the air.

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up vote 4 down vote

It's slang, but there is the word snortle. It's defined as:

A hearty laugh that is punctuated by a snort on the inhale.

Or the Wordnik entry has it defined as:

To snort; grunt.

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snerkles What a silly word. – KitFox♦ Feb 1 at 2:45

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