Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “laughably” come from?

laughably (English) comes from English laughable, from English laugh, from Middle English laughen, from Old English hlæhhan, from Proto-West Germanic hlahhjan, from Proto-Germanic hlahjaną, from Proto-Indo-European klek- — to laugh, cackle.

laughably (English): In a manner that can be laughed at, humorous, in...

Definitions

  1. In a manner that can be laughed at, humorous, in...

Ancestry of “laughably”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlaughableFitted to excite laughter; humorous; Worthless;...
2EnglishlaughAn expression of mirth particular to the human...
3Middle EnglishlaughenTo laugh; to break out in laughter or laughing;...
4Old Englishhlæhhan—
5Proto-West Germanichlahhjanto laugh
6Proto-Germanichlahjanąto laugh
7Proto-Indo-Europeanklek-to laugh, cackle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European klek- →