To chortle means to laugh in a gleeful, chuckling way that sounds almost like you're snorting with delight. It's the kind of laugh that bubbles up when something strikes you as genuinely funny or when you're feeling particularly pleased with yourself. Picture someone reading a hilarious comic book and making that snickery, snorty sound that's halfway between a chuckle and a snort.

The word was invented by Lewis Carroll in his poem “Jabberwocky” from Through the Looking-Glass. He combined “chuckle” and “snort” to create this new word, and it caught on because it perfectly captures that specific kind of mirthful laughter. When your dad chortles at his own joke, or when you chortle over a funny video with your friends, you're making a sound that's unmistakably joyful.

A chortle usually indicates genuine amusement rather than polite laughter. It's the sound of someone who can't quite contain their delight, which is why villains in stories sometimes chortle wickedly when their plans seem to be working.