Snob

Posted by Bruce Kahl on April 09, 2001

In Reply to: Snob posted by Robin Spittal on April 09, 2001

: While browsing, I noticed you give the supposed origin of POSH, but there is nothing on snob. Hearsay used to have it that it is an abbreviation of "sine nobilitate", formerly used by Oxford University (??) to indicate a common entrance scholar as opposed to those sons of the nobility whose titles appeared after their name in the college register. Whence the meaning of someone above his station. Unfortunately I cannot provide any written evidence of this origin.

Webster's has snob as being Icelandic:
Snob
(Snob) n. [Icel. snapr a dolt, impostor, charlatan. Cf. Snub.]

They also link it to "snub":
Snub
(Snub), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Snubbed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Snubbing.] [Cf. Icel. ssnubba to snub, chide, Sw. snubba, Icel. snubbottr snubbed, nipped, and E. snib.]
To treat with contempt or neglect, as a forward or pretentious person; to slight designedly.