laughing

[ laf-ing, lah-fing ]

adjective

1. that laughs or is given to laughter:

   a laughing child.

2. uttering sounds like human laughter, as some birds.
3. suggesting laughter by brightness, color, sound, etc.:

   a laughing stream; laughing flowers.

4. laughable:

   The increase in crime is no laughing matter.

noun

1. laughter.

Other Words From

• laughing·ly adverb
• un·laughing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of laughing¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; laugh, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

In fact, he was featured in several Hollywood pictures that he wasn't interested in and felt the movies made him a laughing stock.

From Salon

Their conversation was in Arabic, and Helen says all she could hear "was them laughing to each other".

From BBC

Seven weeks on, laughing together on a mild autumn day in London’s Battersea Park, they are unrecognisable.

From BBC

They made several new friends, she said, but every time they invited them to visit their home in East Hollywood, “We couldn’t get anyone willing to make the drive to L.A.,” she said, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times

“Someone came up to me and said, ‘You know, it’s such an honor to work with someone so experienced,’ ” she says, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• humorous