snarky
UK[ˈsnɑːki]US[ˈsnɑːrki]
adj
criticizing someone in an annoyed way and trying to hurt their feelings
adj
having a rudely critical tone or manner
Etymology
the word 'snarky' is a relatively modern coinage, first appearing in english in the early 20th century. it is believed to be derived from the dialectal verb 'snark,' meaning 'to snort, to find fault with,' which itself likely has an onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound of a snort or a snarling dog. the '-y' suffix is a common english adjectival ending, turning the action or quality into a descriptive term. thus, the word's logic evolved from an imitation of a harsh sound to describe a person's sharply critical and irritable speech or behavior.
Analysis
the word 'snarky' is considered unsegmentable into meaningful morphemes based on its current english spelling. it is treated as a simplex unit.
Examples
she made a snarky remark about his presentation skills.
i was tired of his snarky comments throughout the meeting.
the reviewer's tone was unnecessarily snarky.