1. n.1 a a dwarfish legendary creature supposed to guard the earth's treasures underground; a goblin. b a figure of a gnome, esp. as a garden ornament.
2 (esp. in pl.) colloq. a person with sinister influence, esp. financial (gnomes of Zurich).
Derivatives:
gnomish adj.
Etymology: F f. mod.L gnomus (word invented by Paracelsus) 2. n. a maxim; an aphorism.
Etymology: Gk gnome opinion f. gignosko know