newfangled

adjective

new·​fan·​gled ˈnü-ˈfaŋ-gəld How to pronounce newfangled (audio)
1
: attracted to novelty
2
: of the newest style or kind
had many newfangled gadgets in the kitchen
newfangledness noun

Did you know?

Newfangled is actually a pretty old word. It dates all the way back to the 15th century, and likely developed from the even older adjective newfangle, which probably derives from a combination of the Middle English newe, meaning new, and the Old English fangol, from a verb meaning "to take." In its earliest documented uses, newfangled described a person who was fond of new things, fashions, or ideas. Current usage indicates that newfangled is used—sometimes deprecatingly—to describe anything that is new, hip, hot, or happening, while other times it is used with irony for something—such as rock music—that might have been new at one time but is hardly new anymore.

Examples of newfangled in a Sentence

His grandson owns all of the latest newfangled electronics. the newfangled speech used by teenagers
Recent Examples on the Web And unlike the traditional collectors who attended the auction ready to buy the newfangled art, there was a lack of enthusiasm from crypto collectors. Zachary Small, New York Times, 18 May 2024 For all of the excitement around web browsers and newfangled e-commerce websites, the companies making the real money were software giants like Microsoft and Oracle, the chipmaker Intel, and Cisco Systems, which made the gear that connected those new computer networks together. Karen Weise, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for newfangled 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'newfangled.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from newefangel, from new + Old English *-fangol, from fōn (past participle fangen) to take, seize — more at pact

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of newfangled was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near newfangled

Cite this Entry

“Newfangled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/newfangled. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

newfangled

adjective
new·​fan·​gled ˈn(y)ü-ˈfaŋ-gəld How to pronounce newfangled (audio)
: of the newest style : novel
newfangled ideas
a newfangled contraption

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