n.
Pronunciation: ' n ō -v ə
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural novas or no · vae \ -( ˌ )v ē , - ˌ v ī \
Etymology: New Latin, feminine of Latin novus new
Date: 1927
: a star that suddenly increases its light output tremendously and then fades away to its former obscurity in a few months or years
– no · va · like \ -v ə - ˌ l ī k \ adjective