snide English · revision 1190

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /snaɪd/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is unknown.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline reports the Century Dictionary's suggestion that it is a dialect variant of ''snithe'' “sharp, cutting”, from Middle English ''snithen'' “to cut”, Old English ''snīþan'',^(Etymonline) which is related to German ''schneiden''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In thieves' slang, counterfeit or sham, especially of coins (1859).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun the word meant counterfeit coin or jewellery, and a contemptible person or cheat (1874).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Of people, the adjective meant cunning and given to sharp practice (1883).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The sense “bad, contemptible” is found by 1903,^(Barnhart 1995) and the current sense, slyly disparaging or sneering, by 1928–33,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989) perhaps by way of the noun sense “hypocrisy, malicious gossip” (1902).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1859 – counterfeit, sham.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1874 – noun, a base person or cheat.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1883 – of a person, cunning.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1902 – noun, malicious gossip.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1933 – sneering, slyly derogatory.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Slyly disparaging or [[sarcasm|alt=sarcastic]] in a malicious, superior way.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Low or unworthy, as a trick.^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(dated)'' False or [[counterfeit]]; also dishonest.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[snidely]]

+ * [[snideness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sneer]]

+ * [[snarky]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}