gnome

See also gnōmē

English

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek γνώμη (gnome, “thought, opinion”), from the base of γιγνώσκειν (gignoskein, “to know”)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /nəʊm/, IPA: /nəʊmi/

Noun

gnome (plural gnomai)

1. A brief reflection or maxim; a pithy saying.

Synonyms

• (short, pithy saying): adage, apothegm, maxim, paroemia, proverb, sententia

Etymology 2

From French gnome (“gnome”), from New Latin gnomus, used by Paracelsus as a synonym for Pygmaeus (“pygmy”)

Pronunciation

• enPR: nōm, IPA: /nəʊm/, X-SAMPA: /n@Um/
• Rhymes: -əʊm
• Homophones: Nome, nome, no'm

Noun

gnome (plural gnomes)

1. A legendary being, supposed to be short, usually bearded men who inhabit the inner parts of the earth, and act as guardians of mines, treasure, etc.
2. (Rosicrucianism) The elemental being of earth.
3. A dwarf; a goblin; a person of small stature or misshapen features, or of strange appearance.
4. (zoology) A small owl (Glaucidium gnoma) of the Western United States.
5. A small statue placed in a garden to ward off pests and protect a home from sorcery.
6. (astronomy, meteorology) An upper atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms, a compact blue starter.

Derived terms

• gnomery

Translations

legendary being

• Catalan: gnom (ca) m, follet (ca) m
• Czech: skřítek (cs) m
• Dutch: kabouter (nl) m
• Esperanto: gnomo (eo)
• Finnish: maahinen (fi), peikko (fi)
• French: gnome (fr) m
• German: Gnom (de) m

• Ido: gnomo (io)
• Italian: gnomo (it) m
• Portuguese: gnomo (pt) m
• Spanish: duende (es) m, pigmeo (es) m, gnomo (es) m
• Swedish: gnom (sv) c
• Walloon: nûton (wa) m, sotea (wa) m

elemental being of earth

• Dutch: gnoom (nl)

• French: gnome (fr) m

dwarf, goblin

• Catalan: nan (ca) m
• Czech: trpaslík (cs) m
• Finnish: kääpiö (fi), maahinen (fi)

• French: gnome (fr) m
• Spanish: enano (es) m

small owl, Glaucidium gnoma

• Finnish: lännenvarpuspöllö (fi)
• German: Gnomen-Sperlingskauz (de) m

• Navajo: biniiʼdootłʼizh

External links

• gnome in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• gnome in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• gnome at OneLook Dictionary Search

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /gnom/, /ɲom/

Noun

gnome m (plural gnomes)

1. gnome