/ ˈnɒvl; NAmE ˈnɑːvl/ noun , adjective
■ noun
a story long enough to fill a complete book, in which the characters and events are usually imaginary :
to write / publish / read a novel
detective / historical / romantic novels
the novels of Jane Austen
■ adjective
(often approving ) different from anything known before; new, interesting and often seeming slightly strange :
a novel feature
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WORD ORIGIN
noun mid 16th cent.: from Italian novella (storia) new (story), feminine of novello new, from Latin novellus , from novus new. The word is also found from late Middle English until the 18th cent. in the sense a novelty, a piece of news , from Old French novelle , from Latin novellus , from novus new.
adjective late Middle English (in the sense recent ): from Old French , from Latin novellus , from novus new.