nov ‧ el ‧ ty /ˈnɒv ə lti $ ˈnɑː-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural novelties )
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: novelté , from novel ; ⇨ ↑ novel 2 ]
1 . [uncountable] the quality of being new, unusual, and interesting
novelty of
the novelty of the ideas
Many toys have no attraction beyond their novelty value.
It was fun for a while, but the novelty wore off (=it became boring) .
2 . [countable] something new and unusual which attracts people’s attention and interest:
Then the Internet was still something of a novelty.
3 . [countable] an unusual, small, cheap object, often given as a present:
a selection of novelties and t-shirts
a novelty key-ring
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ be a novelty
At that time, air travel was still a novelty to many people.
▪ the novelty wears off (=something stops seeming new and interesting)
Once the novelty had worn off he didn't play with his train set much.
■ phrases
▪ be something of a novelty (=seem quite new and different)
At that time, cars were still something of a novelty.
▪ be quite a novelty (=seem quite new and different)
In the 1970s, a woman sports reporter was quite a novelty.
▪ the added novelty of something
You can attend the recording of the show, and get the added novelty of watching a radio programme being made.
■ adjectives
▪ sheer novelty (=used when emphaszing how new and different something seems)
Few pieces of music can match the sheer novelty of Sibelius's Sixth Symphony.
■ novelty + NOUN
▪ novelty value (=the extra interest that something receives because it is new)
The car still sells well, though the novelty value has worn off.
▪ a novelty act (=a performance that is unusual and different)
Mike Michaels the Mechanical Magician was one of the best novelty acts I've seen.