variants
or less commonly nicknack
plural knickknacks also nicknacks
: a small trivial article usually intended for ornament
a collection of colorful knickknacks
Known in the computer industry as tchotchkes, which is Yiddish for cheap trinkets, the knickknacks distributed in the past year have included "Love Me Tender" toilet-roll dispensers, wax eyeballs, chocolate computers and Nerf-ball launchers.—
Jim Carlton
Jim CarltonMelissa Etheridge's spacious two-story home outside Los Angeles is filled with knickknacks from her life: Aside from awards and photos, there is a small collection of vintage neon clocks … and a Thelma & Louise poster signed by the cast (including a then-unknown Brad Pitt).—Lynette Rice
Lynette RiceExamples of knickknack in a Sentence
The shelves were filled with knickknacks.
a variety of pretty porcelain knickknacks adorned the mantel
Recent Examples on the Web
For a piece in this week’s issue, Helfand speaks with all parties involved, and even visits Elvis in his current resting place, amid dusty knickknacks and towering piles of junk in an office behind a mechanic’s garage.
—Hannah Jocelyn, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Inside the cozy house — adorned with a Saint Dolly Parton candle, a stack of board games, and various knickknacks — the songwriters relax in matching camo-print sweats.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
Try to count all the zany knickknacks inside Northeast Pizza.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2025
Once the candle is burned, the smaller vessels could be used for knickknacks and the larger ones could double as plant holders.
Got My Eye on You Who doesn’t need a little protection — or a lot?
—Alix Strauss, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knickknack
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Hannah Jocelyn, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Inside the cozy house — adorned with a Saint Dolly Parton candle, a stack of board games, and various knickknacks — the songwriters relax in matching camo-print sweats.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
Try to count all the zany knickknacks inside Northeast Pizza.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2025
Once the candle is burned, the smaller vessels could be used for knickknacks and the larger ones could double as plant holders.
Got My Eye on You Who doesn’t need a little protection — or a lot?
—Alix Strauss, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knickknack
Cite this Entry
“Knickknack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knickknack. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
knickknack
noun
knick·knack
ˈnik-ˌnak 
: a small ornamental object
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