novel

adjective
nov·​el | \ ˈnä-vəl How to pronounce novel (audio) \

Definition of novel

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : new and not resembling something formerly known or used New technologies are posing novel problems.
b : not previously identified transmission of a novel coronavirus a novel genetic mutation novel bacterial strains
2 : original or striking especially in conception or style a novel scheme to collect money novel solutions

novel

noun

Definition of novel (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events
2 : the literary genre consisting of novels

Other Words from novel

Noun

novelistic \ ˌnä-​və-​ˈli-​stik How to pronounce novel (audio) \ adjective
novelistically \ ˌnä-​və-​ˈli-​sti-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce novel (audio) \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for novel

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

Did you know?

If someone tells you that you've come up with a novel idea or a novel interpretation of something, it's probably a compliment: not everyone is capable of original thinking. But not everything new is terribly worthwhile; a novelty, for example, is often a cute (or maybe just silly) little object that you might put on a display shelf in your house. It may seem surprising that the familiar noun novel is related as well. In the 14th century, Italian writers began writing collections of short tales, each of which they called a novella because it represented a new literary form; from this word, three centuries later, the English coined the noun novel.

Examples of novel in a Sentence

Adjective She has suggested a novel approach to the problem. Handheld computers are novel devices.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective This reimagining of God is not a foreign or novel concept, especially within the Black church. Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2022 New and novel business applications are emerging at a significant pace. Iman Bashir, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2022 He is also set to star in and executive produce the Hulu series adaptation of the novel Washington Black as well as the film The Defender about Scipio Africanus Jones. Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE.com, 5 Apr. 2022 The concept is novel in that tretinoin and BPO haven't been used together in the same formula previously, but the concept of retinoid and benzoyl peroxide isn't exactly new. Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 1 Apr. 2022 The idea of offering an entire season of episodes at the same time was novel a decade ago — but as the world of streaming becomes more competitive (and crowded), release strategies are also evolving. Michael Schneider, Variety, 3 Mar. 2022 These local bakeries are celebrating paczki day by serving up a mix of classic and novel spins on the treat. Samantha Nelson, chicagotribune.com, 25 Feb. 2022 Scholz's fence-sitting is not novel in German politics—Angela Merkel's administration (in which Scholz served as finance chief and deputy chancellor) was also notably wishy-washy on the question of Nord Stream 2. David Meyer, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2022 What once was novel and new has now become an annual tradition: the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell are NBA All-Stars. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Feb. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun There is constant movement both within scenes and in the grand sweep of the novel. Amy Brady, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2022 Badham is now renewing that connection appearing in the touring version of the stage adaptation of the novel, as written by Aaron Sorkin. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2022 The best part of this novel, though, is the discovery of just who Lady Whistledown is after three books of wondering, and the way that Penelope owns her power as Colin navigates his jealousy toward her successful writing career. Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE.com, 30 Mar. 2022 In addition to having one of the best opening lines of any novel ever, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle contains some of the most memorable meals in all of literature. Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2022 After Vanity Fair released a first look at the movie, fans unanimously agreed that the behind-the-scenes clips were a spitting image of the novel. Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 26 Mar. 2022 Although some of the more enthralling details of the novel are missing (rest assured the Pall Mall scene is still there), Season Two captures the growing chemistry and tension between Kate and Anthony very effectively. Sheena Scott, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2022 Instead, Sophie spends a significant portion of the novel toying with the idea of becoming Benedict’s mistress. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2022 Deeply emotional, this eight-episode Apple TV+ series barely scratches the surface of the novel upon which it's based, and will surely leave a core audience clamoring for more. Brian Lowry, CNN, 25 Mar. 2022 See More

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

First Known Use of novel

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for novel

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & continental Old French, "new" — more at nouveau

Noun

earlier nouell, nouelle "short prose narrative," borrowed from Italian novella — more at novella

Learn More About novel

Time Traveler for novel

Time Traveler

The first known use of novel was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Dictionary Entries Near novel

Novaya Zemlya

novel

novel assignment

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Statistics for novel

Last Updated

22 Apr 2022

Cite this Entry

“Novel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2022.

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More Definitions for novel

novel

adjective
nov·​el | \ ˈnä-vəl How to pronounce novel (audio) \

Kids Definition of novel

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: new and different from what is already known a novel idea

novel

noun

Kids Definition of novel (Entry 2 of 2)

: a long story usually about imaginary characters and events

More from Merriam-Webster on novel

Nglish: Translation of novel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of novel for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about novel

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