snob

American  

[snob] / snɒb /

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.

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snob British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of snob

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”

Example Sentences

She knows I’m not a snob—just uncomfortable around new people sometimes.

From Literature

“I just have to constantly remind myself to not be a snob about it,” she says.

From Salon

He was derided as a snob when he suggested, in a few statements over the years, that he had to dumb down his work for uncultured audiences.

From The Wall Street Journal

As a superficial snob who grew up with golden retrievers that deserved Pantene commercials, I had to know: Why are we so into ugly dogs now?

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From The Wall Street Journal