novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈve-lə How to pronounce novella (audio)
plural novellas or novelle nō-ˈve-lē How to pronounce novella (audio)
Synonyms of novellanext
1
plural novelle : a story with a compact and pointed plot
2
plural novellas : a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story and a novel

Synonyms of novella

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Examples of novella in a Sentence

pressed for time, many English teachers have their students read the one novella among the novelist's works
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are eight books total, but one is a collection of five prequel novellas. — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026 The impetus for their reunion was an adaptation of Norman Maclean’s wistful novella A River Runs Through It. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 Late Fame was adapted faithfully from the Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler’s late nineteenth-century novella, itself a recent recovery, but the transposition to the present functions only up until this point. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 The musical, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, has music by Frank Wildhorn and book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for novella

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "piece of news, announcement, story, narrative," noun derivative from feminine of novello "new," going back to Latin novellus "young, tender (of plants or animals)," from novus "new" + -ellus, diminutive suffix — more at new entry 1

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of novella was in 1677

Rhymes for novella

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Browse Nearby Words

novelize
novella
novelly
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Cite this Entry

“Novella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novella. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

novella

noun
no·​vel·​la nō-ˈvel-ə How to pronounce novella (audio)
: a work of fiction falling between a short story and a novel in length and complexity

More from Merriam-Webster on novella

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about novella

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