giggling

1. 1
   noununcountable

   The act of laughing in short, high-pitched bursts, often nervously or at something silly.

   A burst of giggling spread through the audience during the solemn ceremony.

   The children's giggling echoed down the hallway long after bedtime.

   Similartittering, laughter, sniggering, chuckling

   Note

   It works as an uncountable noun (a burst of giggling), but it can also be counted: the plural gigglings names separate outbreaks of laughter. Boys' Life in May 1959 sets "the twitterings and gigglings of twelve little girls" against a scout blushingly refolding a flag. The plural suits a scene where many people laugh in scattered bursts, and it pairs naturally with other high, bird-like sounds.

2. 2
   verb

   Present participle of giggle.

   They were giggling about a private joke during dinner.

   The toddlers were giggling as the puppy chased its tail.

   Note

   One spelling does two grammatical jobs here. After a form of be it builds the progressive (they were giggling); in subject or object position it is a gerund (giggling during the vows is rude). Even as a gerund it stays verb enough to take an adverb: giggling nervously, not nervous giggling. That verbal edge is what separates it from the noun for the laughter itself, which behaves like an ordinary noun.

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