To snort means to force air loudly and suddenly through your nose, making a sharp, rough sound. You might snort accidentally when you're trying not to laugh at something funny in class, and suddenly that burst of air escapes through your nose with an embarrassing honk. People also snort when they're disgusted or scornful, like when your brother claims he invented a perpetual motion machine and you respond with a snort of disbelief.

Animals snort too. Horses snort by blowing air forcefully through their nostrils, often when they're excited, nervous, or clearing dust from their nose. Pigs snort as their natural way of breathing and communicating. Bulls snort before charging in cartoons (and sometimes in real life).

The word can also describe the sound itself: “She let out a snort of laughter” or “the horse gave a loud snort.” When someone snorts with laughter, it usually means they found something so funny they couldn't hold in their reaction, even though snorting might be considered less polite than a regular laugh. The unexpectedness of a snort can make situations even funnier, creating a chain reaction of laughter that spreads through a whole classroom or dinner table.