- gnome
- gnomegnome1 [nōm]n.[Fr < ModL gnomus < Gr gnōmē (see GNOME2): so called by PARACELSUS Philippus Aureolus, prob. from the belief that gnomes had occult knowledge of the earth]Folklore any of a race of small, misshapen, dwarflike beings, supposed to dwell in the earth and guard its treasuresgnomishadj.gnome2 [nōm, nō′mē]n.[LL, a sentence, maxim < Gr gnōmē, thought, judgment, intelligence < gignōskein, to KNOW]a wise, pithy saying; maxim
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.