snobbism

snobbism — noun

1. the attitude or behaviour of someone who believes their own social class, tastes

1.nounC1
Definition

the attitude or behaviour of someone who believes their own social class, tastes, or education makes them superior to others, and who therefore treats those they consider beneath them with coldness or contempt

Example

Anong recognized the snobbism of the gallery owner, who ignored visitors in ordinary clothes.

verb + snobbism (recognize / tolerate / see through)

The committee showed snobbism by refusing to give the award to a state-school student.

snobbism of + [group]

Common collocations
  • class snobbism
  • cultural snobbism
  • academic snobbism
  • a streak of snobbism
Synonyms
  • snobbery

    the everyday equivalent; snobbism is more formal and less frequent

  • elitism

    broader in scope — includes intellectual and cultural superiority, not just social class

  • condescension

    focuses on the patronizing behaviour or tone, rather than the underlying belief of superiority

Antonyms
  • humility

    the opposite personal quality of thinking you are no better than others

  • egalitarianism

    the social belief that all people are equal in status

Usage Note

Much less common than the synonym 'snobbery' in everyday speech. 'Snobbism' appears more often in formal writing and social criticism.

Common Mistakes

She was accused of snobbism behaviours.
She was accused of snobbish behaviour.
'Snobbism' is a noun and cannot be used as an adjective; use 'snobbish' before a noun.

Word family

  • snob
    nounB2
  • snobbish
    adjectiveB2
  • snobbery
    nounC1
  • snobbishly
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Snobbery is the most common and neutral word for this concept — the belief that one's social class, taste, or education makes one superior. Snobbism is a rarer, more formal synonym that appears mainly in essays and social commentary. Elitism covers a wider range: it can refer to intellectual or cultural superiority as well as social class, and sometimes carries a political meaning (rule by a select group). Condescension focuses on the patronizing tone or behaviour itself — a person might act condescendingly without necessarily holding snobbish beliefs. Classism is more specific, referring to prejudice or discrimination based solely on social class. For example: 'Her snobbery about wine was exhausting' (personal attitude); 'The university's elitism keeps out talented working-class students' (institutional); 'His condescension toward the staff was obvious' (behaviour).

snobberyelitismcondescensionclassism

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a hint of snobbism
  • a streak of snobbism

Prepositions

Etymology

English

Formed from the English noun 'snob' (originally slang at Cambridge University in the late 18th century for a shoemaker or a person of low social class; later it shifted to mean someone who imitates the upper classes, and eventually someone who looks down on those they consider beneath them) combined with the suffix '-ism', which turns a noun into a belief system or attitude.