Laughter! Ha-Ha-Ha! Hee-Hee-Hee! Hoo-Hoo-Hoo!

Everyone laughs! But every laughter is not the same! Oh! So many varieties …

The following are a few words that describe different types of laughter: Read the example sentence to clearly understand the difference among each one of them.

1. Laugh – Sounds that we make in amusement and joy – His jokes always make me laugh.

2. Chuckle – a soft, gentle laugh that often indicates amusement or pleasure – As the comedian told the joke, the audience began to chuckle softly.

3. Guffaw – a loud, boisterous laugh that is often sudden and uninhibited, sometimes indicating surprise or disbelief – When I told my friend about my latest mishap, he let out a guffaw that made everyone in the room turn and look.

4. Chortle – a mixture of a chuckle and a snort, often indicating delight or amusement – The little boy began to chortle with delight as his puppy licked his face.

5. Snicker – a suppressed, often derisive or sneaky, laugh – The group of girls in the back of the classroom began to snicker when the teacher tripped over his own shoelaces.

6. Cackle – a high-pitched, sometimes slightly maniacal laugh, often indicating pleasure or excitement – The witch let out a cackle as she stirred her cauldron and added a new ingredient to her potion.

7. Giggle – a high-pitched, often nervous or silly, laugh that is difficult to control – The girls at the sleepover couldn’t stop giggling when they heard snoring from the ajacent room.

8. Snort – a sharp, abrupt exhalation of air through the nose, often indicating amusement or contempt – When the comedian made a particularly funny joke, the man in the front row snorted with laughter.

9. Belly laugh – a loud, deep, and prolonged laugh that can shake the body and often indicates great amusement or pleasure – When the baby made a funny face, his dad let out a belly laugh that made the whole family join in.

10. Teehee – a high-pitched, often childish, laugh that is characterized by a repeated “teehee” sound – The little girl let out a series of teehees as she played with her favorite toy.

11. Titter – a quiet, restrained laugh that is often accompanied by a slight giggle or snicker – The woman couldn’t help but titter when she saw her friend’s new haircut.

12. Howl – a loud, long, and deep laugh that sounds like a wolf’s howl. It can express joy, amusement, or even sadness – The friends began to howl with laughter when they saw the groom’s silly dance moves at the wedding reception.

13. Roar – a loud, deep, and boisterous laugh that sounds like a lion’s roar. It is often associated with great amusement or pleasure – The crowd at the comedy club began to roar with laughter as the comedian delivered the punchline.

14. Squeal – a high-pitched, often sudden, and excited laughter that can sound like a pig’s squeal. It is often associated with surprise or delight – The children began to squeal with delight when they saw the ice cream truck pull up.

All these laughters, I can understand; but what is this ROFL? Why should one Roll on the Floor in Laughter?