knickknack

noun

knick·​knack ˈnik-ˌnak 

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

Melissa 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

Synonyms

• bauble
• bibelot
• curio
• curiosity
• doodad
• gaud
• gewgaw
• geegaw
• gimcrack
• kickshaw
• novelty
• ornamental
• tchotchke
• trinket

Examples 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

The kids decide to rummage through his old stuff, knickknacks from his international travels. —EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Take a stroll through Condé Nast’s halls, where staffers draw inspiration from the spring/summer 2025 collections and replace boughs of holly with knickknacks and doodads dangling from their everyday bags. —Ciarra Lorren Zatorski, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2024

Score discounts on Christmas trees, holiday knickknacks, festive wreaths, and more while these limited-time offers last. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

That’s Crazy is worth a spin to peruse oddities, knickknacks, and The Walking Dead production clothing and props. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

reduplication of knack

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

knickknack

noun

knick·​knack ˈnik-ˌnak 

: a small ornamental object