gnome
/ˈnoʊ̯m/noun
gnome is spelled G-N-O-M-E: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,362nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, gnome means “An elemental (spirit or corporeal creature associated with a classical element) associated with earth” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of gnome is gnomes or gnomae.
How many letters and syllables are in gnome?
| Letters | 5: G-N-O-M-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 1.6 times per million words; the 22,362nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is gnome?
Gnome appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,362nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce gnome?
- UK /ˈnəʊ̯m/
- US /ˈnoʊ̯m/
- US /ˈnɔʊ̯m/
As a noun (“A brief reflection or maxim; a pithy saying”): /nəʊm/, /nəʊmi/.
Gnome has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-gnome.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with gnome?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as gnome from its last stressed vowel (/oʊm/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: gomen, genom.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of gnome
- gnomes plural
- gnomae plural
- gnomai plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does gnome mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An elemental (spirit or corporeal creature associated with a classical element) associated with earth.
- 2
One of a race of imaginary human-like beings, usually depicted as short and typically bearded males, who inhabit the inner parts of the earth and act as guardians of mines, mineral treasure, etc.; in modern fantasy literature and games, when distinguished from dwarves, gnomes are usually smaller than dwarves and more focused on engineering than mining.
- 3
derogatoryinformalA person of a small stature or misshapen features, or of a strange appearance.
- 4
The mountain pygmy owl, Glaucidium gnoma, a small owl of the western United States.
- 5
A small statue of a dwarf-like character, often bearded, placed in a garden.
- 6
An upper atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with thunderstorms, a compact blue starter.
- 7
derogatoryA banker, especially a secretive international one.
the gnomes of Zurich
- 8
A brief reflection or maxim; a pithy saying.
verb
- 1
slangTo unintentionally boot a GNOME desktop environment.
This new package got my system GNOME'd.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Gnome in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | gnome |
| German | Gnom , Gnomen-Sperlingskauz |
| Portuguese | gnomo |
| Spanish | duende, pigmeo, gnomo , enano |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does gnome come from?
From French gnome (“gnome”), from New Latin gnomus, used by Paracelsus as a synonym for pygmaeus (“pygmy”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).