A legendary creature depicted as a small, typically bearded man who lives underground and guards treasure. A garden ornament representing such a creature.
From French 'gnome,' coined by the Swiss alchemist Paracelsus in the 16th century from Greek 'genomos' meaning 'earth-dweller,' from 'ge' (earth) + 'nomos' (inhabiting). He used it to describe elemental earth spirits.
Try Another Word