snobbish

[snob-ish]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a snob.

   snobbish ideas about rank.

2. having the character of a snob.

Other Word Forms

• snobbishly adverb
• snobbishness noun
• unsnobbish adjective
• unsnobbishly adverb
• unsnobbishness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of snobbish¹

First recorded in 1830–40; snob + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

The snobbish sommelier is a relic from the past—a figure from a less-enlightened time in wine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At its worst, Orange County appears to be nouveau-riche snobbish, insecure, artificially flavored and colored, vapid, priggish and drearily sanitized.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The critique felt not just snobbish, but oddly incurious, a misreading of cakes that are, at heart, celebrations of joy.

Read more on Salon

Even still to this day, the word "narcissist" gets misused to describe people who are merely snobbish or egotistical.

Read more on Salon

They had feared he might be some snobbish yachtie or posing Instagrammer, who would make sure they knew who was boss.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• aloof 
• condescending 
• haughty 
• patronizing 
• pompous 
• snooty