novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnä-vəl-tē 

plural novelties

1

: something new or unusual

the novelty of a self-driving car

2

: the quality or state of being novel : newness

an uncritical acceptance of novelty as advance

—H. M. Jones

A toy's novelty soon wears off.

3

: a small manufactured article intended mainly for personal or household adornment

—usually used in plural

Disney novelties filled the shelves.

4

: something (such as a song or food item) that provides often fleeting amusement and is often based on a theme

—often used attributively

The movie included a few novelty songs.

Synonyms

• freshness
• newness
• originality

Examples of novelty in a Sentence

the novelty of space exploration

Electric-powered cars are still novelties.

Eating shark meat is a novelty to many people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Related Articles Macy’s said its parade will be the largest yet with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands and 10 performance groups. —David Moin, WWD, 1 Nov. 2024

For now, the pieces on display tell a story of dining that goes beyond pure novelty and kitsch to celebrate innovation, design evolution, and artistic influences across centuries and cultures. —Anna Hezel, Curbed, 1 Nov. 2024

Additionally, the Pakistani mill introduced a new color, Seaweed Blue, to its popular Kaleido collection of color yarn dye fabrics and new novelties such as garment dye fabric with Lurex and fabrics with crepe effects. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2024

The collection includes dinnerware and novelty pillows for under $40. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English novelte, borrowed from Anglo-French novelté, from novel "new, novel entry 1" + -té -ty

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing novelty

• the novelty wears off

Kids Definition

novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnäv-əl-tē 

plural novelties

1

: something new or unusual

2

: the quality or state of being novel : newness

3

: a small article intended mainly as an unusual ornament or toy

—usually used in plural

Legal Definition

novelty

noun

nov·​el·​ty ˈnä-vəl-tē 

plural novelties

: the quality or state of being new : quality of being different from anything in prior existence

satisfied the requirement of novelty for a patent on the design