A small cut, nick, or notch in a surface; or a small decorative object or trinket.
Possibly from Dutch 'knik' meaning 'bend,' or from Middle English 'knicke' related to 'nick.' The word may be imitative of the sound of a small strike.
The word 'knick' in 'knick-knack' is delightfully onomatopoetic—the 'k-k' sound actually mimics the sound of small trinkets bumping together, which is why the rhyming reduplication feels so perfect.
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