knobby

Knobby is an English adjective describing something that has knobs or knob-like protrusions. Objects described as knobby typically feature rounded lumps or irregular bumps on their surface, giving a lumpy or textured appearance. The term can apply to physical surfaces such as rocks, roots, or bark, as well as to parts of the body where raised lumps are noticeable, for example knobby knees or knobby knuckles.

In common usage, knobby often conveys a tactile sense of roughness or unevenness. It is frequently found in descriptions of off-road equipment, especially tires designed for better traction. Knobby tires have large, pronounced tread blocks that project outward, providing grip on dirt, mud, or loose terrain. The word can also appear in everyday descriptions of crafts, furniture, or vegetables and fruits when the surface or form includes small rounded protuberances.

Etymology and related terms: knobby is formed from the noun knob plus the suffix -y, yielding a descriptive adjective. A closely related term is knobbed, which serves a similar function in some contexts. In more technical writing, terms such as tuberculate or nodular may be used to describe surfaces with multiple small knobs or projections.

See also: knob, knobbed, tuberculate, nodular.