gnomish
|gnom-ish|
🇺🇸
/ˈnoʊmɪʃ/
🇬🇧
/ˈnəʊmɪʃ/
like a gnome
Etymology
'gnomish' originates from English, specifically formed from 'gnome' and the suffix '-ish', where 'gnome' meant 'a small mythical earth-dwelling being' and '-ish' meant 'having the nature of'.
'gnomish' developed by adding the suffix '-ish' to the English word 'gnome' (which entered English via French 'gnome' and ultimately from Greek 'gnōmē').
Initially it referred specifically to qualities of gnomes (mythical creatures); over time it also acquired a figurative sense meaning 'gnomic' or 'aphoristic'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
pertaining to or resembling a gnome; characteristic of gnomes (mythical small humanoid beings).
The garden had a gnomish statue tucked behind the roses.
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Adjective 2
rare or figurative: terse, aphoristic, or enigmatic in manner (gnomic).
His gnomish remarks left the audience thinking long after the talk.
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Last updated: 2026/01/18 03:33