Word of the Day

: August 23, 2024

newfangled

adjective NOO-FANG-guld

What It Means

Newfangled describes something that has been recently invented or developed, and usually implies that this new thing is difficult for some to understand.

// The neighbors are always showing off their new gadgets and tools, but I feel no need for those newfangled contraptions.

See the entry >

newfangled in Context

"This important historical preservation work is as good an excuse as any to remember a time when toy companies were still figuring out how to convince the public that Nintendo's newfangled portable games were something that could fit into their everyday life." — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 13 June 2024

Did You Know?

Newfangled is actually a pretty old word: it dates all the way back to the 15th century, having developed from the even older adjective newfangle. In its earliest documented uses, newfangled described a person who was fond of new fashions, ideas, etc. In current usage, the word typically—and often deprecatingly—describes anything that is new, hip, hot, or happening, such as cutting-edge technology or popular slang. Other times it is used with irony for something, such as rock music, that might have been new at one time but is hardly new anymore.