The Rice University Neologisms Database

Etymology : This term is a compound of the words snap and chat. Snap comes from the late 15 century, "quick, sudden bite or cut," from Dutch or Low German snappen "to snap" (OED). This meaning can easily be extended to the brevity these pictures. Chat comes from mid-15th century, "talk idly, babble," short for chatter, and chatter comes from early 13th century chateren , "to twitter, gossip" which comes from Dutch koeteren. (OED) Therefore, the term snapchat is a generalizing of these meanings to mean a sort of quick conversation.