new

adjective

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\ ˈnü

, chiefly British ˈnyü, in place names usually (ˌ)nu̇ or nə or (ˌ)ni

Definition of new

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : having recently come into existence : recent, modern I saw their new baby for the first time.

2a(1) : having been seen, used, or known for a short time : novel rice was a new crop for the area

(2) : unfamiliar visit new places

b : being other than the former or old a steady flow of new money He bought a new car.

3 : having been in a relationship or condition but a short time new to the job a new wife

4a : beginning as the resumption or repetition of a previous act or thing a new day the new edition

b : made or become fresh awoke a new person

c : relating to or being a new moon

5 : different from one of the same category that has existed previously new realism

6 : of dissimilar origin and usually of superior quality a new strain of hybrid corn

7 capitalized : modern sense 3 especially : having been in use after medieval times New Greek

new

adverb

Definition of new (Entry 2 of 3)

: newly, recently —usually used in combination

New

geographical name

\ ˈnü

, ˈnyü \

Definition of New (Entry 3 of 3)

river flowing 320 miles (515 kilometers) from northwestern North Carolina north across Virginia into West Virginia, where it joins the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River

Other Words from new Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about new

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Choose the Right Synonym for new

Adjective

new, novel, original, fresh mean having recently come into existence or use. new may apply to what is freshly made and unused new brick or has not been known before new designs or not experienced before. starts the new job novel applies to what is not only new but strange or unprecedented. a novel approach to the problem original applies to what is the first of its kind to exist. a man without one original idea fresh applies to what has not lost its qualities of newness such as liveliness, energy, brightness. a fresh start

Examples of new in a Sentence

Adjective They visited the new library. I saw their new baby for the first time. They planted new trees on the campus. a new kind of music She couldn't afford a new car, so she bought a used one. He bought the car new. She is eager to see his new apartment. This is my new stepsister. the young man and his new wife I made a new friend today.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective China’s president, Xi Jinping, unveiled plans for the new exchange, modelled on New York’s Nasdaq and known as the STAR Market, in November 2018. — The Economist, "Wish upon a STAR Why China’s answer to Nasdaq is going gangbusters," 1 Aug. 2020 Physicists needed a new set of ideas to show that the average number of electrons transferred over several cycles was also an integer. — Spyridon Michalakis, Scientific American, "How Scientists Solved One of the Greatest Open Questions in Quantum Physics," 1 Aug. 2020 This boundless corpus of new content and comments, largely manufactured by machines, might then be processed by other machines, leading to a feedback loop that would significantly alter our information ecosystem. — Renee Diresta, Wired, "AI-Generated Text Is the Scariest Deepfake of All," 31 July 2020 Rodriguez had been cleared to pitch after testing negative, but the new diagnosis sidelined him. — Mike Moffitt, Houston Chronicle, "Lasting heart damage could be COVID-19's legacy for some non-hospitalized survivors," 31 July 2020 When Sebastian Lang-Lessing invited violinist Vadim Gluzman to take part in a new project connecting top-flight musicians with students for one-on-one online master classes, the musician immediately flashed back to himself as a teenager. — Deborah Martin, ExpressNews.com, "Former San Antonio Symphony Music Director Sebastian Lang-Lessing’s new venture connects students with classical music stars," 31 July 2020 This also helps create a whole new set of aroma and taste molecules that give the sweet potato an extra-special note. — Nik Sharma, SFChronicle.com, "Recipe for roasted sweet potatoes with Greek yogurt combines savory and creamy," 31 July 2020 Hall went through quarantine in the NBA bubble, then joined his new teammates at the Grand Floridian at Walt Disney World. — Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, "Donta Hall aims to ‘bring the energy’ in NBA restart," 31 July 2020 The Trump administration sent federal agents to guard the courthouse earlier this month and quell the unrest but the deployment had the opposite effect, reinvigorating protesters who found a new rallying point in opposing the federal presence. — CBS News, "Portland protest mostly peaceful as state and local officers replace federal agents," 31 July 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'new.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for new

Adjective

Middle English newe, new, nywe, going back to Old English nīowe, nīewe, nēowe, going back to Germanic *neuja- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German niuwi "new," Middle Dutch nieuwe, nûwe, Old Norse nýr, Gothic niujis), going back to Indo-European *neu̯i̯o-, derivative of *neu̯o- "new, young," whence Latin novus "new" (from *newos), Greek néos "young, fresh, new," Tocharian A ñu "new," Tocharian B ñuwe, Sanskrit návaḥ "new, fresh, young," Avestan nauua-, Hittite nēwa- "new"; also, going back to presumed ablaut variant, *nou̯o- (whence Old Church Slavic novŭ "new, recent") and *nou̯i̯o- (whence Old Irish náue, nuae "new, fresh," Welsh newydd, Lithuanian naũjas "new," Sanskrit návyaḥ "new, young"); also, going back to a derivative *neu̯ǝro- (parallel to Greek nearós "youthful, tender"), Armenian nor "new"

Note: A widely attested Indo-European adjective, apparently extant in all major branches except Albanian. Indo-European *neu̯o-, etc., may be based on *nu, *nuH "now" (see now entry 1).

Adverb

Middle English newe, going back to Old English nīwe, derivative of nīowe, nīewe new entry 1

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