The word "snubbest" is spelled with two b's in the middle to represent the short vowel sound /ʌ/. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈsnʌbɪst/. This word is the superlative form of the verb "snub," meaning to reject or ignore someone in a rude way. In the past tense, "snubbed," the double b is not necessary because the vowel sound is longer (represented by a single b), whereas in the superlative form, the short vowel sound is emphasized with the double b spelling.
The word "snubbest" is a form of the verb "snub", which means to reject, disregard, or treat with contempt. The etymology of "snub" can be traced back to Middle English and Old Norse.
In Middle English, the word "snubben" meant to rebuke or reprimand someone sharply. The Middle English term derived from Old Norse "snubba", which had a similar meaning of reprimanding or chiding.
From a linguistic perspective, the Old Norse term "snubba" is believed to be a variant of "snofa", which means to snuff or sniff. "Snofa" can be further linked to the Proto-Germanic root *snuffaną, which carries the sense of smelling or snorting.