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

The novelty dish first gained popularity and traction on social media at PokeKai inside Doral Yard. — Carla Mendez, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

The food and beverage industry is shifting its focus from relentless novelty to leveraging familiarity and consumer trust. — Louis Biscotti, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Nostalgia is the primary driver, according to CivicScience surveys — not novelty, but reconnection with childhood franchises, the exact psychological pattern researchers describe as intensifying with age and economic uncertainty. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 July 2026

These are the objects that have taken time to make and the homes that tell stories; style that isn’t built through novelty, but through memory and affection. — Alex Eagle, Vogue, 26 July 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