# snide

> English word · Adjective · IPA /snaɪd/ · frequency rank #47,914

## Definitions
1. Disparaging or derisive in an insinuative way.
2. Tricky; deceptive; false; spurious; contemptible.

## Etymology
Probably from a dialectal variant of snithe (“sharp, cutting, cold”). See snithe (adjective).
Alternatively, possibly a metathetic corruption of Middle English snythand (“piercing (the heart), cold, biting”, literally and figuratively). More at snithe (verb).
Compare typologically cutting, Russian ко́лкий (kólkij) (akin to коло́ть (kolótʹ)).

## Easily confused with
- **snip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-snip)
- **suite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-suite)
- **spite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spite)
- **spike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spike)
- **spice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spice)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spine)
- **swipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-swipe)
- **swine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-swine)
- **sniff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-sniff)
- **spade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spade)
- **suede** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-suede)
- **spire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spire)
- **swede** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-swede)
- **snipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-snipe)
- **snore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-snore)
- **stipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-stipe)
- **stade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-stade)
- **spider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-spider)
- **sniper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-sniper)
- **Snyder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/snide-vs-snyder)

## Common misspellings (7)
`nside`, `sinde`, `sndie`, `snidde`, `snied`, `snnide`, `ssnide`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/snide