Why Are Cobblers Called Snobs?
The Word 'Snob' Is Said to Have Arisen from the Custom of Writing “S. Nob. ”, That Is, 'Sine Nobilitate,' After the Names of Children of Untitled Parents in...
The word 'snob' is said to have arisen from the custom of writing “s. nob.”, that is, 'sine nobilitate,' after the names of children of untitled parents in certain English schools. ... When snob first began to be found in print, it was used as a term for a shoemaker, or cobbler.
How does Thackeray Connotatively define the word snob?
Thackeray is responsible for redefining the word “snob”: when he was writing, it referred to a member of the lower class; in his work, Thackeray gave the word to its modern connotation, defining it as one “who meanly admires mean things.” The satirical essays lampooned all sorts, including “literary snobs”, “dining-out ...
When was the word snob first used?
The word snob is first recorded in the late 18th century as a term for a shoemaker or his apprentice. At about this time it was indeed adopted by Cambridge students, but they didn't use it to refer to students who lacked a title or were of humble origins; they used it generally of anyone who was not a student.