novel English · revision 4118

+ The adjective “new, unusual” and the noun “long work of fiction” both go back to Latin novellus “new”, but reached English separately, the adjective through French and the noun through Italian.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈnɒv.əl/, US /ˈnɑː.vəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|long work of fiction}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1566|origins=la novellus}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|it|novella|t=short story, tale; news]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) originally novella storia “new story”,^(COED 2004)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|novella|t=new things]], the neuter plural or feminine of [[m|la|novellus|t=new, young, recent]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a diminutive of [[m|la|novus|t=new]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from the same root as [[new]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One of the tales in a collection such as Boccaccio's Decameron: 1566,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) the 1560s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern sense, a long fictitious prose narrative, is from 1639,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) or the 1630s,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) for a kind of work earlier called a [[romance]];^(Etymonline) at first novels were contrasted with romances as shorter and closer to real life.^(Cresswell 2021) The novel as a literary genre is from 1757.^(OED 1989) Earlier, from the mid-15th century, a novel (from Old French novelle) was a novelty, and in the plural news or tidings, senses now obsolete.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) ''Novelist'' is from 1728, probably influenced by Italian novellista,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''novelette'' from 1814;^(Barnhart 1988) ''novella'' was borrowed again in 1902, for a short novel.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-15th century – a novelty; news.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1566 – a tale in a collection.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1639 – a long prose fiction.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1728 – ''novelist''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1757 – the genre.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1902 – ''novella''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A long fictional prose narrative, usually with a plot unfolded through the actions, speech and thoughts of its characters.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The literary genre of such works.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[novelist]]

+ * [[novelette]]

+ * [[novelize]]

+ * [[novella]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|new, unusual}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1420|origins=la novellus}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|novel]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|frm|novel|t=new, fresh, recent]], from Old French novel, nouvel (modern French nouveau, feminine nouvelle),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|novellus|t=new, young, recent]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a diminutive of [[m|la|novus|t=new]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “New, young, fresh”: about 1420 in the OED,^(OED 1989) about 1450 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) Barnhart also has it in a legal phrase from 1405.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was little used before 1600.^(Etymonline) “Of a new kind, strange, hitherto unknown” is from about 1475,^(OED 1989) and its first sense in Word Origins is “recent”.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Novelty'', newness, innovation, is from about 1384, in the Wycliffe Bible.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1384 – ''novelty''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1420 – new, young.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1475 – of a new kind.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Strikingly new, unusual or different: ''a novel idea''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[novelty]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nova]]

+ * [[new]]

+ * [[novice]]

+ * [[innovate]]

+ * [[renovate]]

+ * [[nouveau]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}