> >> My wife and I saw a delightful French movie, "Amelie". A Gnome was in > the movie. Does anyone know if the word is related to the word gnomon? << > > No, gnomon comes from Greek, while gnome comes from Latin (gnomus) which > was used by Paracelsus, but I don't know where he got it from.
Yes, ''gnomon'' comes from Greek and ``gnome'' also. In Greek ``gnomon'' means also ''L-shape angle gauge'', ''gnome'' means in Greek ``principle'' and also ``mind''. It exists in moodern English in such words like ``cognition'', ``cognizant'' or ``cognoscenti'', ``gnostic'' etc. However ``gnome'' was used by Paracelsus in a Latin form ``gnomus''. Best regards Krzysztof Kotynia 19.4E, 51.8N -
