Where Did Guffaw Come from?

Guffaw operates just like the word laugh: you can give a guffaw, or you can guffaw. It comes from the Scottish word gawf, which is onomatopoetic, meaning that it's spelled the way it sounds. Imagine a big happy Scotsman snorting "gawf, gawf, gawf" at the end of a joke, and you'll know what a guffaw is.

What does the word guffaw?

: a loud or boisterous burst of laughter Her remark sparked guffaws around the room. Other Words from guffaw Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About guffaw.

Which of these describes a guffaw?

A hearty, boisterous burst of laughter.