telenovela

American  

[tel-uh-noh-vel-uh] / ˌtɛl ə noʊˈvɛl ə /

noun

1. (in Latin America and Hispanic communities) a television soap opera, usually having a limited number of episodes.

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Etymology

Origin of telenovela

First recorded in 1960–65; from Spanish, equivalent to tele- tele- ¹ ( def. ) + novela “novel, serial drama”; novel ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.

From Los Angeles Times

Isabella Lovestory, “Telenovela” Who among us hasn’t thought — whether it be ironically or authentically — “my life is a movie?”

From Los Angeles Times

That may sound like a telenovela.

From Los Angeles Times

And because I’d never seen a queer telenovela ...

From Los Angeles Times

It shows in “Inebria me,” where she employs the classic narrative structure of the telenovela, but with a queer twist.

From Los Angeles Times