novel
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novel¹
- /ˈnɒvəl/ UK
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] UK
- /ˈnɑvəl/ Atlantic Canada, US
- /ˈnɒvəl/ Canada, dialectal
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] Canada, dialectal
Rhymes with -ɒvəl
Where it comes from
From Middle English novel, from Old French novel (“new, fresh, recent, recently made or done, strange, rare”) (modern nouvel, nouveau), from Latin novellus (“new, fresh, young, modern”), diminutive of novus (“new”). Doublet of nouveau.
adjective more novel · most novel
-
Newly made, formed or evolved; having no precedent; of recent origin; new.
Similar: new, all-new, brand new, brand spanking new, cherry, fresh, freshly made, green, hot, mint, nascent, newish
-
Original, especially in an interesting way; new and striking; not of the typical or ordinary type.
Similar: unusual
novel²
- /ˈnɒvəl/ UK
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] UK
- /ˈnɑvəl/ Atlantic Canada, US
- /ˈnɒvəl/ Canada, dialectal
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] Canada, dialectal
Rhymes with -ɒvəl
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Italian novella, from Latin novella, feminine of novellus. Doublet of novella.
noun novels
- A work of prose fiction, longer than a novella. If it be true, that the preſent age is more corrupt, than the preceding, the great multiplication of Novels has probably contributed to its degeneracy. Fifty years ago there was ſcarcely a Novel in the kingdom. Romances, indeed, abounded; but they, it is ſuppoſed, were rather favorable to virtue.
- A fable; a short tale, especially one of many making up a larger work. merry tales[…]such as the old woman told of Psyche in Apuleius, Boccace novels, and the rest, quarum auditione pueri delectantur, senes narratione, which some delight to hear, some to tell, all are well pleased with.
novel³
- /ˈnɒvəl/ UK
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] UK
- /ˈnɑvəl/ Atlantic Canada, US
- /ˈnɒvəl/ Canada, dialectal
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] Canada, dialectal
Rhymes with -ɒvəl
Where it comes from
From Middle English novel, from Old French novelle, from Latin novella, feminine of novellus.
noun novels
- A novelty; something new. Libum is a cake made of Honey (sugar is a nouvelle, since the discovery of America), meale and oyle.
novel⁴
- /ˈnɒvəl/ UK
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] UK
- /ˈnɑvəl/ Atlantic Canada, US
- /ˈnɒvəl/ Canada, dialectal
- [ˈnɒvɫ̩] Canada, dialectal
Rhymes with -ɒvəl
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Latin novella, feminine of novellus.
noun novels
- A new legal constitution. The normal and natural relationship of emperor and churchman was summed up by Justinian in one of his novels […]
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: fresh, new, original, refreshing, novelty, newness, nouveau, new-found, brand-new, newly, ground-breaking, innovative, groundbreaking, innovatory, innovator, pioneering
Translations
Every language
adj new, original, especially in an interesting way
| Español | novedoso |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 新奇 shinki, 新型の shingata no |
| 中文 | 新穎 /新颖 xīnyǐng |
| हिन्दी | नया nayā |
| Kiswahili | -pya |
| Português | novo, nova, original |
| Français | nouveau, nouvelle, original, originale |
| Deutsch | neuartig, neu |
| Italiano | nuovo, originale |
| Ελληνικά | πρωτότυπος protótypos |
| Română | nou, original |
| Русский | но́вый nóvyj, оригина́льный originálʹnyj |
| العربية | مُسْتَجِدّ mustajidd |
noun work of prose fiction
| Español | novela, romance |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 소설 soseol |
| 日本語 | 小説 shōsetsu |
| 中文 | 小說 /小说 xiǎoshuō |
| हिन्दी | कथा kathā, कहानी kahānī, उपन्यास upanyās, नावेल nāvel |
| Kiswahili | riwaya |
| Português | romance, novela |
| Français | roman |
| Deutsch | Roman, Novelle |
| Italiano | romanzo, novella |
| Ελληνικά | μυθιστόρημα mythistórima, νουβέλα nouvéla |
| Română | roman, nuvelă |
| Русский | рома́н román, по́весть póvestʹ, нове́лла novɛ́lla |
| Tiếng Việt | tiểu thuyết |
| العربية | رِوَايَة riwāya |
| עברית | רוֹמָן román |
Talk about this word "novel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/novel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. novel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/novel "novel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/novel.Cite this
@misc{novel_2026,
title = {novel},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/novel},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
