novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈve-lə How to pronounce novella (audio)
plural novellas or novelle nō-ˈve-lē How to pronounce novella (audio)
1
plural novelle : a story with a compact and pointed plot
2
plural novellas : a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story and a novel

Examples of novella in a Sentence

pressed for time, many English teachers have their students read the one novella among the novelist's works
Recent Examples on the Web His vision was dark, and all-encompassing, like a novella’s winter fog. Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The efforts have spawned two greenlit shows: House of the Dragon, which launches its second season this summer; and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, which starts production this year and is based on Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024 But the short story or novella comes to life — or fails to — within a margin of error more familiar to neurosurgeons than to writers of fiction. David Amsden, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023 In a cheerful social media post, the Only Murders in the Building star mocked the decision of one Florida school district to ban over 300 books, including his 2000 novella, Shopgirl. Shania Russell, EW.com, 8 Nov. 2023 That the show — an adaptation of the Stephen King novella that became one of the most beloved movies of all time — was staged at all seemingly flew in the face of several trends in China’s cultural sphere. Claire Fu, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Remaining true to Keegan’s novella, Small Things Like These isn’t chiefly about the Magdalene Laundries (which also provided the backdrop to Stephen Frears’ Philomena). David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024 Based on the 1975 novella by Frederick Forsyth, the film follows a young Royal Air Force pilot (Ben Radcliffe) who requires assistance from another pilot (Travolta) after his plane experiences electrical failure. EW.com, 25 Nov. 2023 Publishers compiled three of the chapters released by Esquire into a 1987 novella, but the work garnered mostly negative reviews. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'novella.' 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

borrowed from Italian, "piece of news, announcement, story, narrative," noun derivative from feminine of novello "new," going back to Latin novellus "young, tender (of plants or animals)," from novus "new" + -ellus, diminutive suffix — more at new entry 1

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of novella was in 1677

Dictionary Entries Near novella

Cite this Entry

“Novella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novella. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

novella

noun
no·​vel·​la nō-ˈvel-ə How to pronounce novella (audio)
: a work of fiction falling between a short story and a novel in length and complexity

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