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

… a general 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 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 before another noun

The movie included a few novelty songs.

Synonyms of novelty

• 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

Unlike cheap novelty lasers, the Pococo relies on swappable, scientifically accurate optical discs to cast high-fidelity snapshots of the cosmos across your walls and ceiling. — Paul Brett, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2026

If novelty is throttled at the plan level, the system can keep broad capabilities like internet access while doing only what was reviewed. — Binny Gill, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

This model also allows Menabóh to tap into the fashion calendar, appealing to the industry’s love of novelty. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026

Its video mode is more novelty than feature, and anyone who wants bigger prints or real movie-making should look at the Instax Wide Evo or Mini Evo Cinema instead. — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

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