Main Entry: ¹no·va

Pronunciation: \ˈnō-və\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural novas or no·vae \-(ˌ)vē, -ˌvī\

Etymology: New Latin, feminine of Latin novus new

Date: 1927

: a star that suddenly increases its light output tremendously and then fades away to its former obscurity in a few months or years

— no·va·like \-və-ˌlīk\ adjective