novelty
Americannoun
plural
novelties-
state or quality of being novel, new, or unique; newness.
the novelty of a new job.
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a novel occurrence, experience, or proceeding.
His sarcastic witticisms had ceased being an entertaining novelty.
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an article of trade whose value is chiefly decorative, comic, or the like and whose appeal is often transitory.
a store catering to tourists who loaded up with souvenir pennants and other novelties.
adjective
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Textiles.
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(of a weave) consisting of a combination of basic weaves.
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(of a fabric or garment) having a pattern or design produced by a novelty weave.
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(of yarn) having irregularities within the fibrous structure.
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of or relating to novelties as articles of trade.
novelty goods; novelty items.
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having or displaying novelties.
novelty shop.
noun
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the quality of being new and fresh and interesting
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( as modifier )
novelty value
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a new or unusual experience or occurrence
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(often plural) a small usually cheap new toy, ornament, or trinket
Etymology
Origin of novelty
1350–1400; Middle English novelte < Middle French novelete < Late Latin novellitās newness. See novel 2, -ity
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.
A recent social-media trend has people sharing photos from 2016 and yearning for a time when bloggers had not yet turned into influencers and social media still was something of a novelty for many.
From MarketWatch
Think small, perishable, and plausibly ironic like a single excellent chocolate bar, a slim paperback with a clever premise, or a novelty that suggests taste rather than effort.
Yet, under the cover of technological novelty, Congress is close to granting that exemption to platforms performing economically identical functions.
From Barron's
We are surrounded by the suggestion, rarely stated outright but hard to miss, that dinnertime should be an ongoing exercise in novelty.
From Salon
Though it’s still early 2026, the turbulence of the last few weeks is overshadowing its novelty.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
