novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnä-vəl-tē 

plural novelties

1

: something new or unusual

the novelty of a self-driving car

2

: the quality or state of being novel : newness

an uncritical acceptance of novelty as advance

—H. M. Jones

A toy's novelty soon wears off.

3

: a small manufactured article intended mainly for personal or household adornment

—usually used in plural

Disney novelties filled the shelves.

4

: something (such as a song or food item) that provides often fleeting amusement and is often based on a theme

—often used attributively

The movie included a few novelty songs.

Synonyms

• newness
• innovation
• freshness
• originality

Examples of novelty in a Sentence

the novelty of space exploration

Electric-powered cars are still novelties.

Eating shark meat is a novelty to many people.

Recent Examples on the Web

To think of humans as a species that revels in possibility—unlike, say, anteaters or mice, who are not exactly seeking out novelty—seems self-evident. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025

Belushi and Aykroyd developed it further, wearing suits and sunglasses, on the show in 1978, and the novelty of seeing a couple of ultra-serious white guys deadpanning as blues aficionados became a hit. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025

Critics, however, have raised privacy concerns and said drones are more of a novelty than an effective ay to improve ublis safety. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025

Line Friends Square sells K-pop clothing, accessories, novelties and collectibles in the former Fossil watch shop location. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English novelte, borrowed from Anglo-French novelté, from novel "new, novel entry 1" + -té -ty

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing novelty

• the novelty wears off

Kids Definition

novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnäv-əl-tē 

plural novelties

1

: something new or unusual

2

: the quality or state of being novel : newness

3

: a small article intended mainly as an unusual ornament or toy

—usually used in plural

Legal Definition

novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnä-vəl-tē 

plural novelties

: the quality or state of being new : quality of being different from anything in prior existence

satisfied the requirement of novelty for a patent on the design