Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prelaugh” come from?

prelaugh (English) comes 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.

prelaugh (English): Occurring before laughter

Definitions

  1. Occurring before laughter

Ancestry of “prelaugh”, step by step

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