snob

[ snob ]
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noun
  1. a person who imitates, cultivates, or slavishly admires social superiors and is condescending or overbearing to others.

  2. a person who claims to be an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field: a musical snob.

Origin of snob

1
First recorded in 1775–85; origin uncertain; first used as a nickname for “a cobbler or cobbler's apprentice,” hence “a townsman, someone of low class or lacking good breeding, commoner,” hence ”someone who imitates persons of higher rank”

Other words from snob

  • an·ti·snob, noun

Words Nearby snob

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How to use snob in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for snob

snob

/ (snɒb) /


noun
    • a person who strives to associate with those of higher social status and who behaves condescendingly to others: Compare inverted snob

    • (as modifier): snob appeal

  1. a person having similar pretensions with regard to his tastes, etc: an intellectual snob

Origin of snob

1
C18 (in the sense: shoemaker; hence, C19: a person who flatters those of higher station, etc): of unknown origin

Derived forms of snob

  • snobbery, noun
  • snobbish, adjective
  • snobbishly, adverb
  • snobbishness or snobbism, noun
  • snobby, adjective

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