Synonyms

knobby

American

[nob-ee] / ˈnɒb i /

adjective

knobbier, knobbiest

full of or covered with knobs.

the knobby trunk of a tree.
shaped like a knob.

knobby British

/ ˈnɒbɪ /

adjective

having or covered with small knobs; knobbly

"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

Other Word Forms

knobbiness noun

Etymology

Origin of knobby

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Celeriac — the knobby, subterranean root of the celery plant — makes an especially luxurious purée after a simmer in stock and dairy.

From Salon • May 16, 2025

“That’s good,” he said, before pointing a knobby finger at me.

From Slate • Oct. 24, 2024

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 • Jan. 29, 2024

He has large ears, knobby knees, a softly rounded belly and dark, soft eyes that see the world in blunt terms.

From New York Times • Nov. 17, 2022

It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023