Sneare

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An archaic form of sneer, meaning to curl the lip or speak with scornful contempt toward someone or something
2. Old spelling of a verb meaning to show disdain by a mocking look or scornful tone of voice
3. Archaic verb for expressing scorn or derision through a sneering expression or mocking remark

Etymology: "Sneare" is an older spelling of "sneer," and the verb's original sense was closer to a facial expression than to speech. A sneer was a derisive curl of the lip, the kind that bares the teeth, and mocking words came from that gesture. The word's origin is uncertain. It is generally thought to come from a Germanic source, probably Low German or Dutch, where related forms suggest a sense of snorting or sniffing with contempt. English speakers likely adopted the word through the same channels that brought many other Germanic terms into the language, but the exact route is unclear, and the surviving evidence does not settle it.