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 '13 at 23:50
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1Just a few seconds ago I used "snort" (I might have used "snicker") just that way in a comment before reading your question. – user21497 Jan 31 '13 at 23:56
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1You could start with the sn-words. – John Lawler Feb 1 '13 at 0:15
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2What's wrong with "snort"? – Django Reinhardt Feb 1 '13 at 4:21
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2Seriously? The PC crowd objects to snigger? That's ridiculous. – terdon Feb 1 '13 at 10:25
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.
answered Feb 1 '13 at 1:27
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.
snaughling - Laughing so hard you snort, then laugh because you snorted, then snort because you laughed!
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1Could you please provide some support for this answer? Perhaps a link to a published definition? – Drew May 28 '16 at 20:00
