gnome

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈnōm 

: maxim, aphorism

gnome

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: an ageless and often deformed dwarf of folklore who lives in the earth and usually guards treasure

2

: an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits earth

gnomelike

ˈnōm-ˌlīk 

adjective

gnomish

ˈnō-mish 

adjective

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• brownie
• dwarf
• elf
• faerie
• faery
• fairy
• fay
• goblin
• gremlin
• hobgoblin
• kobold
• leprechaun
• pixie
• pixy
• puck
• sprite
• troll

Examples of gnome in a Sentence

Noun (2)

in Europe, gnomes are thought to guard underground treasure, so that may be why statues of them are commonly placed in gardens

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Offbeat sports gifts: Interest in The Masters annual garden gnome continues to grow — the only item in the official Masters gift shop to carry a purchase limit. —Brooks Peck, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024

The hapless Wallace and his wily hound Gromit cross paths with an errant gnome in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. —Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2024

At the beginning of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, the machine architect, eager to sell the benefits of technology to Gromit, creates a robotic garden gnome programmed to lend the reserved pooch a helping hand. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2024

These range wildly in mood and form, from uncovering the killer in a murder mystery to freeing a gnome who’s been tied up to a windmill blade. —Reid McCarter, WIRED, 4 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Greek gnōmē, from gignōskein to know — more at know

Noun (2)

French, from New Latin gnomus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1563, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gnome

noun

ˈnōm

: a small manlike creature of folklore living inside the earth and guarding precious ore or treasure

gnomish

ˈnō-mish

adjective