new

[ noo, nyoo ]
See synonyms for: newnewernewestnews on Thesaurus.com

adjective,new·er, new·est.
  1. of recent origin, production, purchase, etc.; having but lately come or been brought into being: a new book.

  2. of a kind now existing or appearing for the first time; novel: a new concept of the universe.

  1. having but lately or but now come into knowledge: a new chemical element.

  2. unfamiliar or strange (often followed by to): ideas new to us; to visit new lands.

  3. having but lately come to a place, position, status, etc.: a reception for our new minister.

  4. unaccustomed (usually followed by to): people new to such work.

  5. coming or occurring afresh; further; additional: new gains.

  6. fresh or unused: to start a new sheet of paper.

  7. (of physical or moral qualities) different and better: The vacation made a new man of him.

  8. other than the former or the old: a new era; in the New World.

  9. being the later or latest of two or more things of the same kind: the New Testament; a new edition of Shakespeare.

  10. (initial capital letter) (of a language) in its latest known period, especially as a living language at the present time: New High German.

  11. the new, designating the newly fashionable, trendy, or popular thing, replacing or equaling the success of a specified previous one: While nothing will ever replace black as “the new black,” these new neutrals, especially beige, look like contenders.Knitting is the new rock-'n'-roll. Is kelp the new kale?

adverb
  1. recently or lately (usually used in combination): The valley was green with new-planted crops.

  2. freshly; anew or afresh (often used in combination): roses new washed with dew; new-mown hay.

noun
  1. something that is new; a new object, quality, condition, etc.: Ring out the old, ring in the new.

Origin of new

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English newe (adjective, adverb, and noun), Old English nēowe, nīewe, nīwe (adjective and adverb); cognate with Dutch nieuw, German neu, Old Norse nȳr, Gothic niujis, Old Irish núe, Welsh newydd, Greek neîos; akin to Latin novus, Old Church Slavonic novŭ, Greek néos, Sanskrit navas

synonym study For new

New, fresh, novel describe things that have not existed or have not been known or seen before. New refers to something recently made, grown, or built, or recently found, invented, or discovered: a new car; new techniques. Fresh refers to something that has retained its original properties, or has not been affected by use or the passage of time: fresh strawberries; fresh ideas. Novel refers to something new that has an unexpected, strange, or striking quality, generally pleasing: a novel experience.

pronunciation note For new

Following the alveolar consonants [t], /t/, [d], /d/, and [n], /n/, two main types of pronunciation occur for the “long” vowel represented by the spellings u, ue, discontinuous u...e, and ew, as in student, due, nude, and new. In the North and North Midland U.S. [oo] /u/ immediately follows the alveolar consonant: [stood-nt], /ˈstud nt/, [doo], /du/, [nood], /nud/, and [noo]. /nu/. In the South Midland and Southern U.S., pronunciations of the type [styood-nt], /ˈstyud nt/, [dyoo], /dyu/, [nyood], /nyud/, and [nyoo] /nyu/ predominate. Both these types are traceable to England, as well as some less common ones, for example, those in which the high front vowel [i] /ɪ/ substitutes for the [y]. /y/. A belief that the [yoo] /yu/ pronunciations are more prestigious sometimes leads to hypercorrection, the insertion of the y sound where historically it does not belong, leading to such pronunciations as [nyoon] /nyun/ for noon. Currently in the United States, a [y] /y/ following [s], /s/, [z], /z/, [th], /θ/, and [l], /l/, as in sue [syoo], /syu/, resume [ri-zyoom], /rɪˈzyum/, enthusiasm [en-thyoo-see-az-uhm], /ɛnˈθyu siˌæz əm/, and illusion [ih-lyoo-zhuhn], /ɪˈlyu ʒən/, is used by some speakers, but is considered an affectation by others.

Other words from new

  • new·ness, noun
  • qua·si-new, adjective
  • qua·si-new·ly, adverb
  • un·new, adjective

Words that may be confused with new

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use new in a sentence

  • I shall speak of these in succession, beginning with the oldest and closing with the newest that has come under my observation.

    Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
  • So this was the rich Mrs. Prentice, whom they said really backed Centerports newest venture in the newspaper field?

  • She's a lady—by way of—she doesn't do any rough work—and I dare say she's the newest thing out.

    Marriage la mode | Mrs. Humphry Ward
  • There are great landowners and large farmers who use the newest and best agricultural implements.

    Spanish Life in Town and Country | L. Higgin and Eugne E. Street
  • The Greeks were more numerous; Pera sent over a fair share of foreigners, all dressed in the newest Paris fashions.

    The British Expedition to the Crimea | William Howard Russell

British Dictionary definitions for new

new

/ (njuː) /


adjective
    • recently made or brought into being: a new dress; our new baby

    • (as collective noun; preceded by the): the new

  1. of a kind never before existing; novel: a new concept in marketing

  1. having existed before but only recently discovered: a new comet

  2. markedly different from what was before: the new liberalism

  3. fresh and unused; not second-hand: a new car

  4. (prenominal) having just or recently become: a new bride

  5. (often foll by to or at) recently introduced (to); inexperienced (in) or unaccustomed (to): new to this neighbourhood

  6. (capital in names or titles) more or most recent of two or more things with the same name: the New Testament

  7. (prenominal) fresh; additional: I'll send some new troops

  8. (often foll by to) unknown; novel: this is new to me

  9. (of a cycle) beginning or occurring again: a new year

  10. (prenominal) (of crops) harvested early: new carrots

  11. changed, esp for the better: she returned a new woman from her holiday

  12. up-to-date; fashionable

  13. (capital when part of a name; prenominal) being the most recent, usually living, form of a language: New High German

  14. the new the new vogue: comedy is the new rock'n'roll

  15. turn over a new leaf to reform; make a fresh start

adverb(usually in combination)
  1. recently, freshly: new-laid eggs

  2. anew; again

Origin of new

1
Old English nīowe; related to Gothic niujis, Old Norse naujas, Latin novus

Other words from new

  • Related prefix: neo-

Derived forms of new

  • newness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with new

new

In addition to the idioms beginning with new

  • new ballgame
  • new blood
  • new broom sweeps clean, a
  • new leaf
  • new lease on life
  • new man
  • new one
  • new person
  • new woman
  • new wrinkle

also see:

  • break (new) ground
  • breathe new life into
  • feel like (new)
  • nothing new under the sun
  • teach an old dog new tricks
  • turn over a new leaf
  • what's cooking (new)
  • whole new ballgame

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.