snigger

Etymology
British variant pronunciation and spelling of snicker.

Noun

 * 1)  A partly suppressed or broken laugh.
 * 2)  A sly or snide laugh.
 * 1)  A sly or snide laugh.

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Italian:
 * Russian: ,


 * Bulgarian:
 * French:
 * Greek:

Verb

 * 1)  To emit a snigger.

Synonyms

 * See also Thesaurus:laugh

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Dutch:, stiekem lachen
 * French:
 * German:
 * Ido:
 * Maori: tīhohe
 * Russian: ,
 * Swedish:

Usage notes

 * This term can be seen as offensive by those unaware of its etymology and meaning, especially in North America, because it can be misinterpreted as a variant or masking of the racial slur nigger. The two words are unrelated, both in etymology and meaning. In the British Isles, snigger is much more common than snicker and unlikely to mistaken for a slur. Elsewhere, snicker is the more common term, which increases the likelihood of snigger being mistaken for a slur.