This is the 4853rd most frequent French word.
ricochet
The act of a projectile or object bouncing off a surface.
In this sentence, 'ricochet' refers to the bouncing motion of the stone when hitting the surface of the water.
Le caillou a fait un ricochet sur l'eau avant de couler.
The stone made a ricochet on the water before sinking.
Here, 'ricochet' is used more figuratively to describe the spreading or bouncing effect of laughter as a result of the humor.
Son humour provoque un ricochet de rires parmi les invités.
His humor causes a ripple of laughter among the guests.
In this example, 'ricochet' represents the physical action of bullets bouncing off the walls, highlighting the literal sense of the word.