“lol” is the written equivalent of the television laugh track. Other unrelated expansions include the now mostly obsolete "lots of luck" or "lots of love" used in letter-writing.The list of acronyms "grows by the month" (said Peter Hershock in 2003), and they are collected along with emoticons and smileys into folk dictionaries that are circulated informally amongst users of Usenet, IRC, and other forms of (textual) computer-mediated communication. “Epidemic” vs. “Pandemic” vs. “Endemic”: What Do These Terms Mean? var mapping_houseslot_b = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([963, 0], []).addSize([0, 0], [300, 250]).build(); { bidder: 'openx', params: { unit: '539971080', delDomain: 'idm-d.openx.net' }}, { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '195464', size: [300, 600] }}, This is a list of these terms and their definitions. pbjs.que = pbjs.que || []; . { bidder: 'appnexus', params: { placementId: '11653860' }}, Proper punctuation is similarly a non-concern with most text message abbreviations. { bidder: 'triplelift', params: { inventoryCode: 'Cambridge_MidArticle' }}, “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time. What does LOL mean? It's a term from the Starcraft days that really doesn't share the meaning it has in LoL what-so-ever but it's still used anyway because Leaguefads and sheeple. enableSendAllBids: false, { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '195451', size: [300, 50] }}, { bidder: 'pubmatic', params: { publisherId: '158679', adSlot: 'cdo_topslot' }}]}, 'increment': 0.01, The 5 Best Writing Tools All Writers Need. googletag.enableServices(); 'Lots Of Love' is one option -- get in to view more @ The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '195464', size: [120, 600] }}, { bidder: 'onemobile', params: { dcn: '8a969411017171829a5c82bb4deb000b', pos: 'cdo_rightslot_flex' }}, LOL, or lol, is an initialism for laugh(ing) out loud and a popular element of Internet slang. Internet users coin "internet slang" to save time on keystrokes. “lol so odee was killed by a girl smh [shaking my head],” one street guy later tweeted. { bidder: 'openx', params: { unit: '539971063', delDomain: 'idm-d.openx.net' }}, bids: [{ bidder: 'rubicon', params: { accountId: '17282', siteId: '162050', zoneId: '776336', position: 'btf' }}, When participating in Internet communication, some use shorthand to appear as though they are engaged in a conversation. name: "idl_env", initAdSlotRefresher(); Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web! 'min': 8.50, pbjsCfg.consentManagement = { Shakespeare allusions appear everywhere from LOL cats to cell phone commercials to the best television series ever. var pbDesktopSlots = [ ROFLMAO. My cat just stole the dog's bed and now the dog's looking at me like he's saying do something! {code: 'ad_leftslot', pubstack: { adUnitName: 'cdo_leftslot', adUnitPath: '/2863368/leftslot' }, mediaTypes: { banner: { sizes: [[120, 600], [160, 600], [300, 600]] } }, { bidder: 'triplelift', params: { inventoryCode: 'Cambridge_MidArticle' }}, "authorization": "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/auth/info?rid=READER_ID&url=CANONICAL_URL&ref=DOCUMENT_REFERRER&type=ENTRY_TRANSLATE&v1=english&v2=lol&v3=&v4=english&_=RANDOM", LOL! iasLog("criterion : cdo_t = technology"); Use all uppercase (ROFL) or all lowercase (rofl) letters and the meaning is identical. { bidder: 'criteo', params: { networkId: 7100, publisherSubId: 'cdo_btmslot' }}, It is there to remind you to laugh when what is said isn’t inherently funny, or the person who is saying it is unsure of themselves. { bidder: 'appnexus', params: { placementId: '11654156' }}, Readers have viewed this post more than 375,076 times. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition googletag.pubads().setTargeting("cdo_dc", "english"); "login": { { bidder: 'appnexus', params: { placementId: '11653860' }}, Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. used as a response to something funny or as a follow-up to something said only as a joke: You can see from the pics that my dog did not appreciate how we dressed him up for Halloween this year. The acronym came about during the 1980s, and by 1993 it had an established use in early forms of electronic communication. Scrotum’: TLC’s Lowest Show Yet? Asked if Rangel likes the song and has any plans to record a rap of his own, his campaign responded, “LOL, seriously?”. },{ Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative? Variations on LOL include LOLZ, LML, and LULZ.Other acronyms that denote laughter include ROFL ("rolling on the floor laughing") and ROFLMAO ("rolling on floor, laughing my a** off). { bidder: 'sovrn', params: { tagid: '446382' }}, "authorizationTimeout": 10000 { bidder: 'openx', params: { unit: '539971065', delDomain: 'idm-d.openx.net' }}, storage: { expires: 365 STANDS4 LLC, 2020. var pbMobileHrSlots = [ { bidder: 'pubmatic', params: { publisherId: '158679', adSlot: 'cdo_btmslot' }}]}]; pbjs.setConfig(pbjsCfg); iasLog("criterion : cdo_pt = entry"); { bidder: 'appnexus', params: { placementId: '11654208' }}, googletag.pubads().setTargeting("cdo_c", ["business_financial_industrial_technology"]); It was used historically on Usenet but is now widespread in other forms of computer-mediated communication, and even face-to-face communication. Lol can be used as an interjection and a verb. First recorded in 1985–90; from its use in digital communications, Dictionary.com Unabridged “Their” vs. “There” vs. “They’re”: Do You Know The Difference? { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '195465', size: [300, 250] }}, { bidder: 'sovrn', params: { tagid: '346688' }}, If you are a person who is a social butterfly and love talking to your buddies and pals through texting over these platforms like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Hike, Twitter and so on, then you must have come across the acronym “LOL”. It was first used almost exclusively on Usenet, but has since become widespread in other forms of computer-mediated communication and even face-to-face communication. googletag.pubads().set("page_url", "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/lol"); We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. { bidder: 'pubmatic', params: { publisherId: '158679', adSlot: 'cdo_rightslot' }}]}, It's much smarter to err on the side of being too professional at first, and then relax your communication over time organically. These initialisms are controversial, and several authors recommend against their use, either in general or in specific contexts such as business communications. { bidder: 'pubmatic', params: { publisherId: '158679', adSlot: 'cdo_leftslot' }}]}, { bidder: 'sovrn', params: { tagid: '387233' }}, . userIds: [{ bids: [{ bidder: 'rubicon', params: { accountId: '17282', siteId: '162036', zoneId: '776160', position: 'atf' }}, { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '194852', size: [300, 250] }}, { bidder: 'criteo', params: { networkId: 7100, publisherSubId: 'cdo_topslot' }}, 'increment': 1, { bidder: 'sovrn', params: { tagid: '387232' }}, }, LOL is a staple of online conversation culture. (User 2): LOL! googletag.pubads().setTargeting("cdo_ei", "lol"); { bidder: 'triplelift', params: { inventoryCode: 'Cambridge_HDX' }}, They entered the garden of Lol Raman to find it disposed as usual, inviting the evening trade. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. var mapping_topslot_a = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([746, 0], []).addSize([0, 550], [[300, 250]]).addSize([0, 0], [[300, 50], [320, 50], [320, 100]]).build(); { bidder: 'openx', params: { unit: '539971066', delDomain: 'idm-d.openx.net' }}, name: "_pubcid", { bidder: 'ix', params: { siteId: '195451', size: [320, 50] }}, { bidder: 'criteo', params: { networkId: 7100, publisherSubId: 'cdo_leftslot' }}, {code: 'ad_rightslot', pubstack: { adUnitName: 'cdo_rightslot', adUnitPath: '/2863368/rightslot' }, mediaTypes: { banner: { sizes: [[300, 250]] } }, bids: [{ bidder: 'rubicon', params: { accountId: '17282', siteId: '162036', zoneId: '776140', position: 'atf' }}, { bidder: 'triplelift', params: { inventoryCode: 'Cambridge_SR' }},