💡 Wise and short 🧙 Like a gnome

gnomelike

9.6

Speaking in short, wise sayings that sound puzzling

adjective
/ˈnoʊmˌlaɪk/

Literature

: gnómico

The teacher's gnomelike advice was brief but full of meaning.

Examples

His gnomelike comments often left the audience deep in thought.
She answered the question in a gnomelike way, leaving everyone to interpret her words.
His advice was gnomelike and full of wisdom.
She often shares gnomelike phrases that make us think.
The teacher's gnomelike advice was brief but full of meaning.
His gnomelike comments often left the audience deep in thought.
She answered the question in a gnomelike way, leaving everyone to interpret her words.

Synonyms

aphoristic

vsgnomelike

1 8.2

Expressing ideas in short, wise phrases that are easy to remember

is more enigmatic and puzzling rather than clear and direct

epigrammatic

vsgnomelike

Literature

1 8.6

Said or written in a short, clever way

leans more toward short wise and puzzling sayings than humor

Surface Forms

gnomelike positive

Morphology

gnomelike = gnome (opaque) = gnome + like

Although formed from 'gnome' + '-like', this sense depends on the rare/archaic meaning of 'gnome' = 'aphorism', so learners who know 'gnome' only as the creature will not infer the meaning.

Etymology

Gnomelike comes from the word gnome, which traces back to the old Greek gnōmē meaning 'thought' or 'judgment'. So something gnomelike sounds like a short, wise saying or proverb and gives a quick piece of meaning or advice.