Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

knob

/nɒb/ noun

In Latin: bulla, nodus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about knob at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A rounded protuberance, especially one arising from a flat surface; a fleshy lump or caruncle.
A rounded control switch that can be turned on its axis, designed to be operated by the fingers.
A ball-shaped part of a handle, lever, etc., designed to be grabbed by the hand.

verb

protrude
furnish or produce with a knob, knobble
To have sex with.

Origin

From Middle English knobbe, from Middle Low German knobbe (“knob, knot in wood, bud”), probably ultimately from a variant of Proto-Germanic *knappô (“knob, lump”), one of several kn- words related to *knudaną (“to knead”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word