Where does “laughing” come from?
Laughing derives from Middle English lawghynge, formed from Middle English -ing added to Old English -ing and Old English -ung, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European klek-.
laughing (English): The action of the verb to laugh; present...
Definitions
- The action of the verb to laugh; present...
Ancestry of “laughing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | laughynge | — |
| 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 “laughing”