slang To ignore someone in one's presence in order to pay attention to the content on one's phone or other mobile device. The term derives from "phubbing," a combination of "phone" and "snubbing" that was coined as part of a marketing campaign for an Australian dictionary. I'm right here—quit phubbing me and read your tweets later!

slang The act of ignoring someone in one's presence in order to pay attention to the content on one's phone or other mobile device. The term, a combination of "phone" and "snubbing," was coined as part of a marketing campaign for an Australian dictionary. Apparently, phubbing is a big problem in a lot of relationships. We'd rather spend time with our phones than our partners!