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# snigger

verb (snigger, sniggers, sniggered, sniggering); noun (a snigger, sniggers)

«snigger» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To snigger is to laugh quietly in a rude or unkind way, often at someone's mistake or at something naughty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#m1)
2. A snigger is that small, half-hidden laugh. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#m2)
3. (US) The usual American word is «snicker», which means the same. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and at school sniggering happens behind someone's back; the reader learns that people are mocking, or that a joke is a bit rude. Teachers often stop children from sniggering when someone gets an answer wrong. Phrases: snigger at, a snigger went round the class.

### Examples

- The boys sniggered when the teacher tripped. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x1)
- A snigger went round the class. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x2)
- Please don't snigger when someone reads aloud. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x3)
- She heard sniggers from the back row. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x4)
- He sniggered at the rude word in the book. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x5)
- Mum told us off for sniggering in church. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/#x6)

### Note

British English mostly says «snigger», American English «snicker». Past form: sniggered. Countable noun: a snigger. It is not the same as a giggle: giggling can be friendly; sniggering is usually unkind or cheeky.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «snigger» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/snigger/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«snigger» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/snigger.html) on Mova free.