Snag
/snæɡ/noun
A sharp projection or rough knot in wood, or a difficult problem or obstacle.
Did you know?The word likely began with the idea of a projecting knot or stump in wood, and later expanded into the modern sense of a hindrance or difficulty.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
snagge
“a projecting stump, knot, or rough protuberance”
Early Modern English
English
snag
“a sharp stump or branch under water or in wood”
18th Century
English
snag
“an obstacle or difficulty”
Modern English
English
snag
“a rough projection; a problem or hitch”