Tomte
/ˈtɔm.tɛ/noun
A household spirit or gnome in Scandinavian folklore, especially one believed to protect a farm.
Did you know?Tomte belongs to the old Scandinavian world of land- and house-spirits, where every farm could have its own unseen guardian demanding respect.
Etymological Timeline
Old Norse
ON
tomte
“a plot of ground, homestead, or site”
Middle Swedish
Swedish
tomte
“homestead, dwelling place; later a house spirit associated with the homestead”
Early Modern Swedish
Swedish
tomte
“a guardian spirit or gnome of the farm”
Modern English
English
tomte
“a Scandinavian house spirit or gnome, especially in folklore and Christmas imagery”
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