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new

[ noo, nyoo ]
/ nu, nyu /
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See synonyms for: new / newer / newest / news on Thesaurus.com

adjective, new·er, new·est.

adverb

recently or lately (usually used in combination): The valley was green with new-planted crops.
freshly; anew or afresh (often used in combination): roses new washed with dew; new-mown hay.

noun

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

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Shoelaces, rainbow, toothpaste, and haircuts are all what type of noun?
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Origin of new

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 affected by others.

OTHER WORDS FROM new

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH new

gnu, knew, new

Words nearby new

nevus pigmentosus, nevus sebaceus, nevus spilus, nevus unius lateris, nevus vascularis, new, New Age, New Age music, New Albany, New American Bible, New Amsterdam
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

VOCAB BUILDER

What is a basic definition of new?

New describes something that only now exists or has been around for only a short time. New also describes something that has just appeared for the first time or that is unfamiliar. New has several other senses as an adjective, adverb, and a noun.

If something is new, it has only been around for a short time. This sense of new is the opposite of old.

Real-life examples: Most stores sell products that are brand-new—they have never been used or opened. The internet is a relatively new invention as it has only existed since the late 1960s. Other technologies are much newer.

Used in a sentence: The agent showed off the new houses that were built last week. 

New also describes something that just now exists for the first time. In this sense, something is new if it is a completely unique creation.

Real-life examples: Companies are always creating new products. Science and technology constantly lead to new ideas.

Used in a sentence: Fans are happy that the author is writing a new book. 

New can describe something that is unfamiliar or strange. This sense is often written in the form of “new to.”

Real-life examples: People often try things that are new to them, meaning they have never experienced them before, such as new foods, books, TV shows, or hobbies.

Used in a sentence: Golf was new to me when I joined the club, but I grew to enjoy the sport over the years.

Where does new come from?

The first records of the word new come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English nēowe and is related to the Gothic niujis, the Old Norse nȳr, and the Latin novus.

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What are some other forms related to new?

  • newness (noun)
  • newly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for new?

What are some words that share a root or word element with new? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing new?

How is new used in real life?

New is a very common word that is used to refer to things that haven’t been around for very long or that are original creations.

 

 

Try using new!

Is new used correctly in the following sentence?

The ice cream shop is always coming up with new flavors that no one has ever tasted before.

Words related to new

late, different, state-of-the-art, modern, unusual, unfamiliar, contemporary, current, strange, brand-new, unique, original, advanced, recent, fresh, other, more, improved, newly, au courant

Example sentences from the Web for new

British Dictionary definitions for new

new
/ (njuː) /

adjective

adverb (usually in combination)

recently, freshlynew-laid eggs
anew; again
See also news

Other words from new

Related prefix: neo-

Derived forms of new

newness, noun

Word Origin for new

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

Idioms and Phrases with new

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