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.
Paracelsus invented not just the word 'gnome' but also 'sylph,' 'salamander,' and 'undine' for the four elemental spirits! Garden gnomes became popular in 19th century Germany, and the traveling gnome prank tradition has made them unexpected global adventurers.
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