From snark +‎ -y; 1906, as “irritable”, from snark (“to snort”), by onomatopoeia (1866). Compare Low German snarken (“to snore”), North Frisian snarke, Swedish snarka.^[1] In the sense “sarcastic” popularized in the late 1990s.^[2]

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsnɑɹ.ki/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsnɑː.ki/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ki

snarky (comparative snarkier, superlative snarkiest)

1. (informal, often humorous) Snide and sarcastic; usually out of irritation.
   • 2011 October 19, “You may know me as a snarky caption writer whose work went viral”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     In spite of its inherent banality, and because my editors let me relieve my dyspepsia by writing snarky captions, it is regularly one of the more popular destinations on the Globe and Mail website.

2. (obsolete) Irritable, irritated.

   Synonym: cranky

   • 1910, E. Nesbit, chapter 12, in The Magic City:

     'I hate you,' she said briefly, and Philip understood. 'I couldn't help it,' he said; 'I did want to do something by myself.' And Lucy understood. 'And besides,' he said, 'I was coming back for you. Don't be snarky about it, Lu.

   • 1918, C. J. Dennis, “Dad”, in Digger Smith:

     'E barks. "I'll do me work meself, yeh 'ear?" An' then 'e gits so snarky that I clear.

• “snarky”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

• Karsyn