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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Start by just changing the knobs on a dresser, MacDermaid said. Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 3 July 2025 Users can easily adjust the temperature settings and two fan speeds using the knobs on the bottom left of the unit. Izzy Baskette, People.com, 18 June 2025 And with topological materials in particular, dialing the knobs and then returning to the initial conditions — in other words, tracing a looping path around the torus — leaves the electrons’ arrow pointing in a different direction from before. Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 6 June 2025 The volume knob is awkwardly situated almost dead-center on the back of the right speaker. PC Magazine, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for knob

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

Cite this Entry

“Knob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knob. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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
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