novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈve-lə 

plural novellas or novelle nō-ˈve-lē 

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

Synonyms of novella

• tale
• story

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

For reading widely, there’s discovery to be had among novellas, which thanks to their short length can get away with being weird and different. —Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026

Some fans braced themselves for the possibility of another Crescent City update or perhaps a short novella—no shade, but expectations were cautiously low. —Fleurine Tideman, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026

Tanselle doesn’t appear in the second Dunk and Egg novella, The Sworn Sword, which is being developed into the second season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026

The standard bearer of elegant style in life and on film, Hepburn had many a sartorial moment in the 1961 film based on Truman Capote’s novella of the same name, but her slinky Givenchy gown stole the show. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for novella

• brucella
• candela
• capella
• chlorella
• flagella
• glabella
• lamella
• marcella
• mustela
• patella
• predella
• prunella

Kids Definition

novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈvel-ə 

: a work of fiction falling between a short story and a novel in length and complexity