guffaw (n.)

1720, Scottish, probably imitative of the sound of coarse laughter. Compare gawf (early 16c.) "loud, noisy laugh." The verb is from 1721. Related: Guffawed; guffawing.

also from 1720

Trends of guffaw

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

laugh

late 14c., from Old English (Anglian) hlæhhan, earlier hliehhan, hlihhan "to laugh, laugh at; rejoice; deride," from Proto-Germanic *klakhjan (source also of Old Norse hlæja, Danish le, Old Frisian hlakkia, Old Saxon hlahhian, Middle Dutch and Dutch lachen, Old High German hlahha

belly

a general Germanic word for "leather bag, pouch, pod" that in English has evolved to mean a part of the body; Middle English beli, from from Old English belg, bylig (West Saxon), bælg (Anglian) "leather bag, purse, pouch, pod, husk, bellows," from Proto-Germanic *balgiz "bag" (so

Messiah

c. 1300, Messias, a designation of Jesus as the savior of the world, from Late Latin Messias, from Greek Messias, from Aramaic (Semitic) meshiha and Hebrew mashiah "the anointed" (of the Lord), from mashah "anoint." It is thus the Hebrew equivalent of Christ, and it is the word r

Iowa

organized as a U.S. territory 1838; admitted as a state 1846, named for the river, ultimately from the name of the native people, of the Chiwere branch of the Siouan family; said to be from Dakota ayuxba "sleepy ones," or from an Algonquian language (Bright cites Miami/Illinois /

obstreperous

"clamorous, noisy, boisterous, especially in opposition," c. 1600, from Latin obstreperus "clamorous," from obstrepere "drown with noise, make a noise against, oppose noisily," from ob "against" (see ob-) + strepere "make a noise," from PIE *strep-, said to be imitative (compare

text

late 14c., "wording of anything written," from Old French texte, Old North French tixte "text, book; Gospels" (12c.), from Medieval Latin textus "the Scriptures, text, treatise," in Late Latin "written account, content, characters used in a document," from Latin textus "style or

patient

mid-14c., paciente, "capable of enduring misfortune, suffering, etc., without complaint," from Old French pacient and directly from Latin patientem "bearing, supporting, suffering, enduring, permitting" (see patience). From late 14c. as "slow to anger, self-restrained, having the

chorus

1560s, in drama, "person who speaks the prologue and explains or comments on events on stage," from Latin chorus "a dance in a circle, the persons singing and dancing, the chorus of a tragedy," from Greek khoros "round dance; dancing-place; band of dancers; company of persons in

ring

[circular band] Old English hring "circlet of metal, especially one of a precious metal for wearing on the finger ornamentally, also a part of a mail coat; anything circular," from Proto-Germanic *hringaz "something curved, circle" (source also of Old Norse hringr, Old Frisian hr

repent

c. 1300, repenten, "be grieved over one's past and seek forgiveness; feel such regret for sins, crimes, or omissions as produces amendment of life," from Old French repentir (11c.), from re-, here perhaps used as an intensive prefix, "very much" (see re-), + Vulgar Latin *penitir

Share guffaw

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw">Etymology of guffaw by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of guffaw. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of guffaw,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of guffaw.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of guffaw.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/guffaw (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on September 28, 2017

Remove ads >

Trending words

1. autumn
2. amen
3. virgin
4. hospitality
5. teacher
6. pride
7. chaos
8. empathy
9. deluge
10. ensconce

Dictionary entries near guffaw

guess-work

guest

guest star

guest-room

guff

guffaw

Guggenheim

guidance

guide

guideline

guide-post