novel

Noun · Adjective

Synonyms: fresh new refreshing

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
a printed and bound book that is an extended work of fiction“his bookcases were filled with nothing but novels”“he burned all the novels”

Adjective (2)

original and of a kind not seen before“the computer produced a completely novel proof of a well-known theorem”Synonyms: fresh new
pleasantly new or different“common sense of a most refreshing sort”Synonyms: refreshing

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Novel \Nov"el\, n. [F. nouvelle. See Novel, a.]

1.That which is new or unusual; a novelty. [1913 Webster]

2.pl. News; fresh tidings. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Some came of curiosity to hear some novels.— Latimer.[1913 Webster]

3.A fictitious tale or narrative, longer than a short story, having some degree of complexity and development of characters; it is usually organized as a time sequence of events, and is commonly intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and often of love. --Dryden. [1913 Webster +PJC]

4.[L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles.] (Law) A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under Novel, a. [1913 Webster]

Novel \Nov"el\, a. [OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L. novellus, dim. of novus new. See New.] Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising. [1913 Webster]

Note: In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books. These contained new decrees of successive emperors. [1913 Webster]

Novel assignment (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit. [1913 Webster]

Syn: New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare; unusual.

Usage: Novel, New . Everything at its first occurrence is new; that is novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound. [1913 Webster]

The Devil's Dictionary

NOVEL, n. A short story padded. A species of composition bearing the same relation to literature that the panorama bears to art. As it is too long to be read at a sitting the impressions made by its successive parts are successively effaced, as in the panorama. Unity, totality of effect, is impossible; for besides the few pages last read all that is carried in mind is the mere plot of what has gone before. To the romance the novel is what photography is to painting. Its distinguishing principle, probability, corresponds to the literal actuality of the photograph and puts it distinctly into the category of reporting; whereas the free wing of the romancer enables him to mount to such altitudes of imagination as he may be fitted to attain; and the first three essentials of the literary art are imagination, imagination and imagination. The art of writing novels, such as it was, is long dead everywhere except in Russia, where it is new. Peace to its ashes -- some of which have a large sale.