knob

noun

1
a
: a small rounded ornament or handle
b
: a rounded protuberance : lump
2
: a rounded usually isolated hill or mountain
knobbed adjective
knobby adjective

Examples of knob in a Sentence

a carved walking stick with a silver knob toss a knob of butter into the frying pan
Recent Examples on the Web On the laundry side, there’s a washing machine with knobs, storage shelves, and a clock with turnable hands. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Mar. 2024 The Vision Pro includes a knob called the Digital Crown. Brian X. Chen, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The main difference between the two is that the Onyx relies on cheaper build components than the Carbon, which features a more expensive Ortofon Red 2M cartridge in addition to a metal knob, faceplate, and inlay. Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2024 The shift knob, at the end of a relatively tall lever, nonetheless provides perfectly smooth gates while slotting into gear. Michael Van Runkle, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Apart from these four modes, Mastering Assistant exposes a few controls such as a loudness adjustment, an exciter for more top-end saturation, and a stereo spread knob. Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 6 Feb. 2024 This steamer also features a large pedal at the base of the machine that turns the steamer on and off, an adjustable pole, a steam control knob, and front wheels for mobility. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2024 Rather than having to look at the weapon’s day scope and use a light dial-in targeting (risking giving a position away), the user simply looks through the viewfinder while turning the knob. Eric Tegler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Check out this fantastic cast iron option, beloved by shoppers for its heat retention, durable make, and ergonomic knobs and handles. Rachel Simon, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knobbe; akin to Middle Low German knubbe knob

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of knob was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near knob

Cite this Entry

“Knob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knob. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

knob

noun
1
a
: a rounded lump
b
: a small rounded handle
2
: a rounded hill
knobbed adjective
knobby adjective

Medical Definition

knob

noun
: a rounded protuberance or lump
knobby adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!