Laughing in a loud, gleeful, or somewhat suppressedway, often with evident enjoyment.
Possibly a blend of 'chuckle' and 'snort' (both imitating laugh sounds), coined by Lewis Carroll in 'Jabberwocky' (1871). Entered English as an onomatopoeia for a specific laugh type.
Lewis Carroll literally invented 'chortle' for a fictional poem, and it was so good at capturing a specific laugh that it permanently entered English—showing how one creative writer can literally add words to what millions of people say.
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