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nouveau

adjective

nou·​veau nü-ˈvō How to pronounce nouveau (audio)
: newly arrived or developed

Examples of nouveau in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
America in all its decadence, in all its beauty, in all its nouveau naffness, and in all its total dominion over the entire Western world. Mason Leath, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2025 With his signature lollipop, Miller Adams is kind of a nouveau bad boy — not actually bad at all, just slightly alternative. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025 The city is technically just outside the region, but its commitment to Beaujolais runs deep (see: the city’s raucous Beaujolais nouveau event). Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 3 Apr. 2025 Perhaps the move is more of a modern nouveau rich flex than a romantic long-standing Roman tradition, but one question remains: Does Zuckerberg have a plan in place to top this decorative dedication next Valentine’s Day? Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for nouveau

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "new," going back to Middle French (back-formation from the plural nouveaulx, nouveaux), going back to Old French novel, 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

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nouveau was in 1828

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Cite this Entry

“Nouveau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nouveau. Accessed 9 Dec. 2025.

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