The word "snob" refers to those nouns that have their own meaning in different eras. The overall emotional color that it carries is still negative, but now it is used in other situations.
The origin of the word snob
The word "snob" has English roots. It is believed that the obsolete noun snob, meaning an apprentice shoemaker, has acquired a general meaning. At first it was used to designate all people of the low class, later in relation to those who were ashamed of their origin and tried with all their might to "pass" for an aristocrat, imitating the manners and speech of the nobility.
The word immediately carried a negative meaning in itself, since the person who was called a snob was arrogant towards his peers and was ready to go to humiliation in order to get into the upper world. Some researchers of the English language believe that this noun has other roots. The University of Eton has admitted a limited number of non-noble students since the early 19th century. They were often smarter than their classmates from famous families, but many doors were closed to them. It was from the opposition of aristocrats (noble - noble) to commoners that the noun snob was born, in short from the Latin expression "sine nobilitate" - ignoble origin
The modern meaning of the word snob
Today, the boundaries between classes are more blurred, money or a good education now help to get into high society. Therefore, the noun "snob" is now increasingly used in relation to those people who belong to a certain stratum of society, which is considered "elite", and oppose themselves to everyone else with their demeanor, language, behavior, habits, wardrobe. In this way, they emphasize their own exclusivity and originality. Many stars of Russian show business can serve as a vivid example of a snob.
What is snobbery
Emphasizing your belonging to a certain group is called snobbery. Nowadays, this concept often boils down to the fact that members of a certain circle demonstrate their exclusiveness in manners, behavior, the way of expressing their emotions, considering everyone else unworthy. That is why certain boundaries are set for entering the elite group. In general, the claim to education and intellectuality can also be attributed to snobbery, when they try to emphasize their own taste and sophistication with the help of acquisitions of art objects, attending cultural events, regular attendance at exhibitions and opening days.