Novelty

Pronunciation

Origin

Old French novelté (Modern French nouveauté), from the adjective novel, ultimately from Latin novellus.

Noun

1. The state of being new or novel; newness.
• 2012, May 24, Nathan Rabin, Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3, Men In Black 3 lacks the novelty of the first film, and its take on the late ’60s feels an awful lot like a psychedelic dress-up party, all broad caricatures and groovy vibes.
2. A new product; an innovation.
• 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 10.Reconciling profound enquiry with clearness, and truth with novelty.
3. A small mass-produced trinket.
4. In novelty theory, newness, density of complexification, and dynamic change as opposed to static habituation.

Derived terms

• novelty song
• novelty theory