knobby

[ nob-ee ]

adjective

, knob·bi·er, knob·bi·est.

1. full of or covered with knobs:

   the knobby trunk of a tree.

2. shaped like a knob.

ˈknobby

/ ˈnɒbɪ /

adjective

1. having or covered with small knobs; knobbly

Other Words From

• knobbi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of knobby¹

First recorded in 1535–45; knob + -y ¹

Example Sentences

On a recent drive north of Sacramento, I spotted a row of knobby peaks that looked more like a children’s book illustration than real-life mountains.

From New York Times

The boy is tall and lanky, with knobby knees poking out of his shorts and messy dark brown hair.

From Literature

The tree has the look of an ancient thing — knobby and gnarled and thick, so thick and tall it appeared at times like several oaks stacked on top of one another.

From Los Angeles Times

The mushrooms bowed their knobby heads in her direction.

From Literature

It’s dawn, and someone is crouching near the rows, cutting heads of lettuce, pulling up a few carrots, unearthing a white knobby thing and bringing it all indoors.

From New York Times