Where does “laughable” come from?
Laughable comes from Middle English -able, from Old French -able, from Latin -abilis, from Proto-Indo-European klek-.
laughable (English): Fitted to excite laughter; humorous; Worthless;...
Definitions
- Fitted to excite laughter; humorous; Worthless;...
Ancestry of “laughable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | laugh | An expression of mirth particular to the human... |
| 2 | Middle English | laughen | To laugh; to break out in laughter or laughing;... |
| 3 | Old English | hlæhhan | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hlahhjan | to laugh |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hlahjaną | to laugh |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | klek- | to laugh, cackle |
Words derived from “laughable”