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Novels

British

/ ˈnɒvəlz /

plural noun

Roman law the new statutes of Justinian and succeeding emperors supplementing the Institutes, Digest, and Code: now forming part of the Corpus Juris Civilis

"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

Etymology

Origin of Novels

Latin Novellae ( constitūtiōnēs ) new (laws)

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.

Novels are long divorced from the oral tradition; few are designed to last beyond their reading.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

They also dig into David Brooks’ controversial opinion column “When Novels Mattered” arguing that good literary fiction is a thing of the past.

From Slate • Jul. 26, 2025

Novels include a comedy of retail manners, two titles that continue character studies and an important retelling of a classic American tale.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2024

Novels are shelved next to poetry, self-help, picture books and historical nonfiction.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2023

There’s also a treble clef, a dancing avocado, and a couple of book-related ones: “Graphic Novels Are Real Books” and “Read More, Ban Less.”

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023