de novo
Americanadverb
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anew; afresh; again; from the beginning.
We reviewed the court’s decision de novo during the rehearing.
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independently of external forces; from within; spontaneously.
Mutations associated with autism often occur de novo rather than through inheritance.
adjective
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occurring or arising spontaneously or independently of external forces; spontaneous: de novo synthesis of steroids from cholesterol.
de novo mutations;
de novo synthesis of steroids from cholesterol.
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made from scratch rather than developed from or based on something preexisting, and hence new, novel, or of a new type: de novo banks.
de novo protein design;
de novo banks.
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De Novo, noting or related to a type of FDA classification allowing novel medical devices with no precedent on the market to be sold: De Novo classification.
a De Novo request;
De Novo classification.
adverb
Etymology
Origin of de novo
First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin dē novō “anew, afresh, again”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Interest in DGAT2 has grown because the enzyme plays a major role in de novo lipogenesis, the process the body uses to create fat in the liver.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
Novel material science also includes de novo chemical combinations for batteries that can store more energy with faster charge cycles and lighter weight.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Today, scientists use advanced technology to design new synthetic drug compounds with the right properties and characteristics, also known as "de novo drug design."
From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2024
“Currently … it goes through a de novo review before an administrative law judge, which means a new body of records is created,” she explains.
From Science Magazine • Nov. 28, 2023
Writing has evolved de novo only a few times in human history, in areas that had been the earliest sites of the rise of food production in their respective regions.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
