Don't get the meaning of the sentence "意味ありげな笑いを浮かべた"


I am not sure about the meaning of this sentence.

意味ありげな笑いを浮かべた

"(He) showed a meaningful laughter" ?

Is that correct?




  * 意味ありげ has the same meaning as 意味がある気配 (and may be a contraction of this phrase). It means, just like you suggest, "meaningful" or in a longer version "indicative of having meaning".

  * 笑い is more often a smile than a laughter.

  * 浮かべる is related to 浮かぶ "to float/to surface".

Thus the full sentence is (very much like you suggested)

> 意味ありげな笑いを浮かべた  
>  He showed a meaningful smile.

or, more poetically

> A meaningful smile appeared on his face.

