laughing

a. & n.

from Laugh, v. i.

Laughing falcon (Zoöl.), a South American hawk (Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. -- Laughing gas (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; -- so called from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes produces when inhaled. It is much used as an anæsthetic agent. -- Laughing goose (Zoöl.), the European white-fronted goose. -- Laughing gull. (Zoöl.) (a) A common European gull (Xema ridibundus); -- called also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea crow. (b) An American gull (Larus atricilla). In summer the head is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer primaries black. -- Laughing hyena (Zoöl.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena. -- Laughing jackass (Zoöl.), the great brown kingfisher (Dacelo gigas), of Australia; -- called also giant kingfisher, and gogobera. -- Laughing owl (Zoöl.), a peculiar owl (Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of extinction. The name alludes to its notes.

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adjective

1. Deserving laughter: comic, comical, farcical, funny, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, risible. See laughter.
2. Emitting a murmuring sound felt to resemble a laugh: babbling, bubbling, burbling, gurgling, rippling. See laughter, sounds/pleasant sounds/unpleasant sounds/neutral sounds or silence.

IN BRIEF: adj. - Showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing. — Michael Pritchard

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has one meaning:

Meaning #1: showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
  Synonym: riant

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laughing elmo	2002 D'arenberg Laughing Magpie