Meaning

He who laughs last laughs longest

The meaning of the phrase

Literal meaning.

Truth is stranger than fiction
Truth is stranger than fiction

What’s the origin of the phrase ‘He who laughs last laughs longest’?

This proverb originated in Tudor England but, for once, wasn’t coined by Shakespeare. It is found in print in the play Christmas Prince, which was first performed, at Cambridge, around 1608:

Laugh on laugh on my freind
Hee laugheth best that laugheth to the end

Historical trend

“who laughs last laughs longest” in printed material over time

Source: Google Books Ngrams (1880–2020).

18801900192019401960198020002020
  • who laughs last laughs longest

Sources

  1. Christmas Prince (circa 1608) · the proverb in print, in a play first performed at Cambridge