SARDO'NIAN, SARDON'IC, adjective sardonian or sardonic laughter, a convulsive involuntary laughter, so called from the herba sardonia, a species of ranunculus, which is said to produce such convulsive motions in the cheeks and lips as are observed during a fit of laughter. SARDON'IC, adjective Denoting a kind of linen made at Colchis.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI