Week of May 18,2013 - Snitty, A Study in Words

By Joan Whetzel

I ran into this not so new-to-me word the other day. Snitty is such a lovely word. Sounds a bit like the word "snotty" and, really, the two words are similar in meaning, though "snotty" has an air of conceitedness about it. This may be one example where two words - snitty and snotty - are homonyms and synonyms (kinda sorta).

Snitty Defined

“Snitty” is an adjective meaning disagreeably ill-tempered; an agitated or irritated state. It’s root, “snit” is a noun defined as an unreasonable fit of temper, a hissy fit, a temper tantrum, or a person that is behaving in a b*#@!y manner. It can also be used to describe a malicious or snide comment.

           

Origins of the Word

The origins of the words “snit” and ”snitty” are not definitively known. Snit is a German word meaning “an apple slice”, but in English it clearly means something else, based on the way it’s used. The first document use of the word “snit” was an article in the Saturday Review of Literature published in December of 1929. Snit got transformed into the adjective “snitty” some 40 years later. Both snit and snitty are used almost exclusively in American slang.

Synonyms, Rhymes, And Usage

Synonyms for snit and snitty include:  annoy, disgust, exasperate, fret, goad, harass, huff, irritate, peeve, pester, pique, rile, roil, stew, tease, vex, annoyance, blow up, conniption, dander, flare-up, grudge, miff, rise, ruckus, slow burn, sore, umbrage, vexation, storm, agitation, anger, enragement, fume, furiousness, lividness, and upset.

Words that rhyme with snit: bit, chit, dit, fit, flit, git, grit, hit, it, kit, knit, lit, mitt, nit, pit, quit, sit, skit, slit, spit, split, twit, whit, wit, writ, and zit.

Words that rhyme with snitty: bitty, chitty, city, ditty, gritty, , itty, itty-bitty, kitty, nitty, nitty-gritty, pity, pretty, twitty, witty, and committee.

 

Other words that are used in a similar manner to snitty include:

·                     snarky, which means: to be short tempered or irritable, crotchety, snappish, sarcastic, or irreverent.

·                     Snotty,  meaning rude with an air of sophistication; annoyingly unpleasant.

·                     Snobby, defined as conceited or to be arsey with someone.

I, of course, have never been snitty. At least not that I will admit to, thank you very much. However, I have run into it once or twice. But that’s a story for another day.