telenovela

noun

tel·​e·​no·​vela ˌte-lə-nō-ˈve-lə 

: a soap opera produced in and televised in or from many Latin American countries

Examples of telenovela in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lancellotti, who has starred in local telenovelas and films, spent the past years preparing herself for the role of Miranda. — Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026

In their video works, Phil Colllins and Christian Jankowski both edit together various scenes from telenovelas, both imagined and real, respectively, as a way to draw attention to these recurring motifs. — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

From telenovelas to Hollywood superstardom, Salma Hayek’s trajectory has been a fascinating one. — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2026

Vozinha is said to love Brazilian telenovelas and the singer Ivete Sangalo. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from tele- tele- + novela novel, serial drama

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for telenovela

• arabella
• bartonella
• bordetella
• cinderella
• citronella
• columella
• isabella
• klebsiella
• legionella
• mozzarella
• pasteurella
• salmonella