knickknack
or nick·nack
[ nik-nak ]
/ ˈnɪkˌnæk /
Save This Word!
noun
an ornamental trinket or gimcrack; a bit of bric-a-brac.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Origin of knickknack
1610–20; gradational compound based on knack in obsolete sense “toy”
OTHER WORDS FROM knickknack
knickknacked, adjectiveknickknacky, adjectiveWords nearby knickknack
Knickerbocker, knickerbocker glory, knickerbockers, knickered, knickers, knickknack, knickpoint, Knies, Kniest syndrome, knife, knife box
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for knickknack
The girls helped to make the cave more homelike, and the lads appreciated every decoration and knickknack given them.
Tramping with Tramps|Josiah Flynt“Perhaps one or two smaller things, a knickknack or two,” he moaned.
The Inevitable|Louis CouperusHe well represented the spirit and workmanship of the eighteenth century in the knickknack art of the Second Empire.
Rodin: The Man and his Art|Judith Cladel
“Have” vs. “Has”: When To Use Each One
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
What Is “GOP” Short For?
“Vaccinate” vs. “Inoculate” vs. “Immunize”: What Are The Differences?
British Dictionary definitions for knickknack
knick-knack
nick-nack
/ (ˈnɪkˌnæk) /
noun
a cheap ornament; trinket
an ornamental article of furniture, dress, etc
Derived forms of knick-knack
knick-knackery or nick-nackery, nounWord Origin for knick-knack
C17: by reduplication from knack, in obsolete sense: toy
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012