Where does “prelaughter” come from?

prelaughter (English) comes from English laughter, from Middle English laughter, from Old English hleahtor, from Proto-West Germanic *hlahtr, from Proto-Germanic hlahtraz, from Proto-Germanic hlahjaną, from Proto-Indo-European klek- — to laugh, cackle.

prelaughter (English): Occurring before laughter

Definitions

  1. Occurring before laughter

Ancestry of “prelaughter”, step by step

prelaughter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English laughter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlaughterThe sound of laughing, produced by air so...
2Middle EnglishlaughterLaughter; the production of laughs or snickers;...
3Old Englishhleahtorlaughter; a laugh
4Proto-West Germanic*hlahtrlaughter
5Proto-Germanichlahtrazlaughter
6Proto-Germanichlahjanąto laugh
7Proto-Indo-Europeanklek-to laugh, cackle

via English pre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpreBefore; Precum, Cowper's fluid, pre-ejaculate; To...
2Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
3Proto-Italicpraibefore; in front of
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European klek-
prelaughter — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer