Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Cachinnate

WORD OF THE DAY December 10, 2017

cachinnate    verb | KAK-uh-nayt     Definition   : to laugh loudly or immoderately   Scroll down for more about cachinnate       WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Intact Latin Quiz   What did each of these words mean to ancient Romans?     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE     Plus:   SEE WHAT LOOKUPS ARE TRENDING NOW!         Did You Know?   Cachinnate has been whooping it up in English since the 19th century. The word derives from the Latin verb cachinnare, meaning "to laugh loudly," and cachinnare was probably coined in imitation of a loud laugh. As such, cachinnare is much like the Old English ceahhetan, the Old High German kachazzen, and the Greek kachazein—all words of imitative origin that essentially meant "to laugh loudly." Our words giggle and guffaw are unrelated to those (and to each other) but they too are believed to have been modeled after the sound of laughter.     Examples of CACHINNATE   As the author read from her newest book, we tried to tune out the spectator cachinnating at the back of the auditorium.   "And all the way the Fates walking with him, whispering and cachinnating, ordering him to tread there, breathe here, spit there, unless he wanted to be eviscerated by destiny." — Will Self, Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys, 1998   Test Your Vocabulary   Unscramble the letters to create a verb with the meaning "to laugh when amused or pleased": RHTLCOE.   VIEW THE ANSWER           WORDS AT PLAY     8 Nicer Ways to Say 'Stupid'   As illustrated by some very smart, very good pups   SEE THE FULL LIST

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