titter

Everyday

1. To titter is to laugh quietly in a nervous, silly or slightly rude way, often trying not to. tree →
2. (noun) A titter is such a little laugh. tree →

In the lessons

In class, a titter often goes round the room when something embarrassing happens. In stories it shows people laughing behind their hands, sometimes unkindly. Similar words: giggle, snigger, chuckle.

Examples

• A titter ran round the class when the teacher's chair squeaked. tree →
• The girls tittered behind their books. tree →
• There was a nervous titter from the audience. tree →
• Don't titter, it's rude. tree →
• The guests tittered when Toad fell over. tree →
• He heard a titter from the back row. tree →
• So spoke the barber, and a titter ran round the room. tree →

Note

Regular verb: tittered, tittering (double t at the end). A titter is quieter and sillier than a laugh; a snigger is more unkind; a chuckle is warmer.