snobbery
C1Formal, critical
Definition
Meaning
The behaviour or attitude of people who think they are better than others because of their social class, wealth, education, or taste.
An exaggerated respect for social position, wealth, or certain tastes, combined with a disdain for those considered inferior or lacking in such attributes. It can also refer to pretentiousness or intellectual elitism in non-social contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always carries a negative connotation. Implies a sense of superiority that is unwarranted or unkind. The focus is on the attitude or behaviour itself, not the person (which would be 'snob').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The concept and usage are identical. The word is strongly associated with British class consciousness historically, but is equally used in American English to critique elitism based on wealth, education, or culture.
Connotations
In British English, it often connotes historical class-based elitism. In American English, it more frequently connotes elitism based on wealth, education, or cultural taste.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English due to historical class discourse, but common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + be + (pure/sheer) snobbery[Subject] + is full of snobbery[Subject] + is a form of snobberyaccuse [someone] of snobberyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Reverse snobbery (pretending to dislike things associated with high status)”
- “A badge of snobbery”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to criticise elitist hiring practices or a culture that values pedigree over merit. 'The firm was accused of intellectual snobbery for only recruiting from top universities.'
Academic
Used in sociology, cultural studies, and literary criticism to analyse social hierarchies and cultural capital. 'The paper examines the role of cultural snobbery in maintaining social boundaries.'
Everyday
Used to criticise someone's stuck-up or condescending attitude about tastes, schools, neighbourhoods, or possessions. 'His comments about only drinking artisan coffee reeked of snobbery.'
Technical
Not typically a technical term, but may appear in sociolinguistics discussing 'prestige' forms or in marketing discussing 'aspirational' branding.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'To snob' is archaic. Modern usage prefers 'to be snobbish' or 'to act like a snob'.
- He was accused of snobbing his old friends from the comprehensive school.
American English
- 'To snob' is rarely used as a verb. Use 'to snub' for the action, or 'to be a snob'.
- She snobbed anyone who hadn't been to an Ivy League college.
adverb
British English
- The adverb is 'snobbishly'. He sniffed snobbishly at the offer of boxed wine.
- She spoke snobbishly about her holiday in the Maldives.
American English
- The adverb is 'snobbishly'. They turned their noses up snobbishly at the suggestion.
- He declined the invitation, snobbishly citing a prior engagement.
adjective
British English
- The adjective is 'snobbish' or 'snobby'. The club had a terribly snobbish atmosphere.
- His views on wine are rather snobby.
American English
- The adjective is 'snobbish' or 'snobby'. She made a snobbish remark about the chain restaurant.
- That's a snobby attitude towards community colleges.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't like the snobbery at that golf club.
- There's no place for snobbery in our team.
- The magazine was criticised for its cultural snobbery towards popular films.
- His attitude towards state schools was pure snobbery.
- The pervasive intellectual snobbery within the institution stifled innovative thinking from non-traditional backgrounds.
- She argued that the disdain for certain genres of music was merely inverted snobbery.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SNOB who looks down their NOSE. Snobbery is the BEHAVIOUR (the -ery) of that snob.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL SUPERIORITY IS HEIGHT (looking down one's nose), PURITY/REFINEMENT (pure taste, uncorrupted by common things).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'снобизм' in all contexts, as the Russian word can sound bookish. In casual speech, phrases like 'высокомерие', 'зазнайство', or 'презрение' might be more natural depending on context.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'snob' (the person) when you mean 'snobbery' (the behaviour). Incorrect: 'He is full of snob.' Correct: 'He is full of snobbery.'
- Misspelling as 'snobberry'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'snobbery'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Arrogance is a general overbearing pride. Snobbery is a specific type of arrogance based on social class, wealth, education, or cultural tastes, and involves looking down on those without those attributes.
No, 'snobbery' always has a negative connotation. It criticises the behaviour. Someone might pride themselves on their 'high standards', but an outsider would label that attitude 'snobbery'.
It is a form of snobbery where someone pretends to dislike or look down on things, people, or manners associated with high social status or sophistication, often to appear more authentic or 'of the people'.
No. While historically linked to class, modern usage includes intellectual snobbery (about education), cultural snobbery (about art, music, food), and other forms of elitism based on any perceived superior attribute.
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