snippy

[ snip-ee ]

adjective

, snip·pi·er, snip·pi·est.

1. sharp or curt, especially in a supercilious or haughty way; impertinent.
2. scrappy or fragmentary.

snippy

/ ˈsnɪpɪ /

adjective

1. scrappy; fragmentary
2. informal.
   fault-finding
3. dialect.
   mean; stingy

Derived Forms

• ˈsnippily, adverb
• ˈsnippiness, noun

Other Words From

• snippi·ly adverb
• snippi·ness snippet·i·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of snippy¹

First recorded in 1720–30; snip + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Every time I asked about their arrangements so I could request vacation time, she got snippy with me, so I let it go.

From Washington Post

If you didn’t know better, you might think Greene was a character played by Mink Stole, the Waters lifer who specializes in snippy villains.

From Time

You will save yourself a lot of mental anguish by not getting snippy with store personnel.

From Washington Post

Saving Mr. Banks is more than a movie about a snippy curmudgeon who excels at amusing put downs.

From The Daily Beast

Look at the snippy press release HP put out in reaction to the deal for its rival.

From The Daily Beast

Starr remembered getting snippy with Ortega one time when she left the clothes in the laundry too long.

From The Daily Beast

It was a snippy sort of a look, Betty thought, that this girl directed toward her.

From Project Gutenberg

The thing that I resent most is the mean remarks those snippy girls make about her.

From Project Gutenberg

Surely that snippy little note, in which you call me—me, a perfect stranger—names!

From Project Gutenberg

"Yes, or when you're put in a snippy little room 'way at the top of the house with nothin' in it," growled Nancy.

From Project Gutenberg

Putty Doane was taken prisoner by the Germans atOh, see that gang of up-townersarent they snippy and patronizing and silly?

From Project Gutenberg