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Novel

 - 8 dictionary results
Novels
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nov⋅el

1  [nov-uhl]
Use Novel in a Sentence
–noun
1. a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length and complexity, portraying characters and usually presenting a sequential organization of action and scenes.
2. (formerly) novella (def. 1).
Origin:
1560–70; < It novella (storia) new kind of story. See novel 2

Related forms:
nov⋅el⋅like, adjective
Novels
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Novel at Amazon
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Amazon.com/books

nov⋅el

2  [nov-uhl]
–adjective
of a new kind; different from anything seen or known before: a novel idea.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME (< MF, OF) < L novellus fresh, young, novel, dim. of novus new

Synonyms:
See new.

nov⋅el

3  [nov-uhl]
–noun
1. Roman Law.
a. an imperial enactment subsequent and supplementary to an imperial compilation and codification of authoritative legal materials.
b. Usually, Novels, imperial enactments subsequent to the promulgation of Justinian's Code and supplementary to it: one of the four divisions of the Corpus Juris Civilis.
2. Civil Law. an amendment to a statute.
Origin:
1605–15; < LL novella (constitūtiō) a new (regulation, order). See novel 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Novel
nov·el 1   (nŏv'əl)   
n.  

  1. A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters.

  2. The literary genre represented by novels.


[Ultimately from Italian novella, from Old Italian, piece of news, chit-chat, tale, from Vulgar Latin *novella, from neuter pl. of Latin novellus, diminutive of novus, new; see newo- in Indo-European roots.]
nov·el 2   (nŏv'əl)   
adj.  Strikingly new, unusual, or different. See Synonyms at new.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin novellus, diminutive of novus; see newo- in Indo-European roots.]
nov'el·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Cultural Dictionary

novel

A long, fictional narration in prose. Great Expectations and Huckleberry Finn are novels, as are War and Peace and Lord of the Flies.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

novel  (adj.)
"new, strange, unusual," c.1420, but little used before 1600, from M.Fr. novel "new, fresh, recent" (Fr. nouveau, fem. nouvelle), from O.Fr., from L. novellus "new, young, recent," dim. of novus "new" (see new).

novel  (n.)
"fictitious narrative," 1566, from It. novella "short story," originally "new story," from L. novella "new things" (cf. M.Fr. novelle, Fr. nouvelle), neut. pl. or fem. of novellus (see novel (adj.)). Originally "one of the tales or short stories in a collection" (esp. Boccaccio), later (1643) "long work of fiction," works which had before that been called romances. Novelist "writer of novels" is 1728, infl. by It. novellista.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Primary Victim: A Novel
One of the best thrillers of 2009 A fascinating debut novel!
www.cihlar.com
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