snub

Where does the word "snub" come from? It comes from Old Norse snubba, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Snub’s story begins in Old Norse: snubba meant “to rebuke sharply.” A 'snub nose', short and turned up, keeps the sense of cutting short. It reached English by 1300s as snub. Settled as the English word for deliberately ignoring or rebuffing someone. Today, snub means to deliberately ignore or treat someone with disdain.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval snubba "to rebuke sharply", a 'snub nose', short and turned up, keeps the sense of cutting short.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s snub "to deliberately ignore or rebuff someone", settled as the English word for deliberately ignoring or rebuffing someone.