telenovela

noun

tel·​e·​no·​vela ˌte-lə-nō-ˈve-lə How to pronounce telenovela (audio)
: a soap opera produced in and televised in or from many Latin American countries

Examples of telenovela in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Gascón, 52, built a career as a male actor in Mexican telenovelas before transitioning in 2018 with the support of her wife and now teenage daughter. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024 Gascón, who lives in Mexico, has long been known for her roles in telenovelas. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024 Look down your nose at the kiddie shows and action hours, telenovelas, thrillers and endless permutations of horror, and risk missing the heartbeat of a global culture that continues to change in marvelous ways, year to year, day to day. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024 Especially at its beginning in late 2014, Jane the Virgin focused on how its characters wrestled with ideas of faith and hope (while also having virgin births, receiving signs from fate, and enduring a series of astonishing telenovela twists). Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for telenovela 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from tele- tele- + novela novel, serial drama

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of telenovela was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near telenovela

Cite this Entry

“Telenovela.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telenovela. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!