snob

[snob]

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.

snob

/ snɒb /

noun

1. 1. a person who strives to associate with those of higher social status and who behaves condescendingly to others Compare inverted snob

   2. ( as modifier )

      snob appeal

2. a person having similar pretensions with regard to his tastes, etc

   an intellectual snob

Other Word Forms

• antisnob noun
• snobbishly adverb
• snobbery noun
• snobbishness noun
• snobby adjective
• snobbish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of snob¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of snob¹

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

Example Sentences

Woolf was a snob, but she was hardly unique in her condescension.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I started identifying as a writer and began my journey into being an amateur snob, saying things like, “I don’t eat McDonald’s — I guffaw at the idea of a person indulging in McDonald’s!”

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All four are such shallow snobs that they can’t imagine why Ivy would want to own Julia Child’s old stove when it’s, well, old.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Daniels didn’t have the prestige TV snobs behind him either.

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I may get called a food snob on occasion, but that intended insult does not sting.

Read more on Salon