Definition

Adjective: 1. Having a nose dirty with mucus: Describes someone, typically a child, whose nose is running or dirty with nasal discharge. 2. (Informal, derogatory) Conceited and arrogant; snobbish: Used colloquially to describe a person who is overly self-important, impudent, or disrespectful, often implying they are immature or undeserving of their attitude.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning (dirty with nasal discharge):

  • The kindergarten teacher always has tissues ready for the snot-nosed children during cold season.
  • He was a snot-nosed kid with dirty knees and a constant sniffle.

• Figurative/Informal meaning (conceited, arrogant):

  • I won't take advice from some snot-nosed rookie who just started last week.
  • She dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, acting like a snot-nosed heiress.

Advanced Usage Notes

• The term is highly informal and derogatory. It is used to express strong contempt or annoyance, especially towards someone perceived as immature yet arrogant.
• The figurative sense often carries a connotation of youth or inexperience, suggesting the person's arrogance is not justified by wisdom or achievement.
• It is frequently used in the phrase "" to combine both the literal image of a messy child and the figurative meaning of an ill-mannered, impudent person.

Variants and Related Words

• Snotty (adj.): The more common short form, carrying the same two meanings: 1) covered with or resembling snot, 2) annoyingly arrogant or snobbish.
  • a snotty remark (arrogant)
  • a snotty handkerchief (dirty with mucus)
• Snooty (adj.): Snobbish, looking down on others. (Close synonym for the figurative sense).
• Uppity (adj.): (Informal, often derogatory) Self-important; not showing proper respect to others. (Close synonym for the figurative sense).

Synonyms

• For meaning 1 (dirty): runny-nosed, mucus-smeared.
• For meaning 2 (arrogant): conceited, impudent, insolent, snobbish, stuck-up, persnickety.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Snot-nosed brat/kid: A common, strongly derogatory phrase combining both meanings to describe a badly behaved, arrogant, or annoying child or young person.
  • That snot-nosed brat just kicked my bicycle over!

Adjective

1. dirty with nasal discharge
   • a snotty nose
   • a house full of snot-nosed kids
2. (used colloquially) overly conceited or arrogant
   • a snotty little scion of a degenerate family-Laurent Le Sage
   • they're snobs--stuck-up and uppity and persnickety