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 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 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

Shades variously described as salmon, blush, or Himalayan salt appeared across the spring runways at houses like Brunello Cucinelli, Zegna, Dior, and Louis Vuitton applied to staples—tailoring, knits, outerwear—rather than novelty pieces. —John Vorwald, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026

Speaking of which, the soundtrack also overdoses a bit on the calculated wackiness of vintage cuts by Bonzo Dog Band, the Monty Python-adjacent 1960s British novelty music act. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026

The concept of a diner-style restaurant with a sausage specialty was quite a novelty at the time, and folks lined up to score one of the coveted 11 stools that lined the counter or a seat at one of the seven booths along the wall. —Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026

The novelty of touchscreens has worn thin, however. —Chris Teague, AJC.com, 13 Mar. 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