Interested in learning novel’s meaning? We can help. Read on to discover the definition of novel, its origin, synonyms, antonyms, and more.
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Kevin
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January 14, 2022
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What Does Novel Mean?
You’ve likely come across the word novel, but what exactly does it mean?
According to Britannica.com, a novel can be defined as a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length (aka a hefty word count) with a certain complexity that deals imaginatively with human experience. This is usually through a connected sequence of events involving individuals in a specific setting.
A simpler definition of this noun states that a novel is a long written story about imaginary people and events.
Often found in prose form and published as a single bound book, a novel is similar to a short story in that it has features like characters, a setting, dialogue, conflict, a plot, a climax, and a resolution. However, it doesn’t require all of these elements to be considered a novel.
For a piece of work to be considered a novel, it must present the following traits:
- Written in prose, as opposed to verse. A novelist may adopt varying degrees of knowledge or different points of view (ex: first person vs. third person). While stylized novels do exist, the key distinction to keep in mind is between prose and verse. Verse would be categorized as an epic poem or something similar.
- Fictional content. Of course, semi-fictional novels such as historical works inspired by true events or people exist and are quite popular. Still, a work of pure nonfiction would not be classified as a novel.
- Considerable length. There isn’t a specific word count requirement that labels a piece of work as a novel. That being said, if you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. Anything less is typically a short story, novella, or work of poetry.
What Is the Origin of the Word Novel?
The term novel is derived from the Italian word “novella“ (plural: “novelle“), which means a tale or piece of news.
As a literary form, novellas emerged in the early fourteenth century in Italian Renaissance literature (specifically chivalric romance), later gaining prestige through German and Russian authors’ late nineteenth century writings.
Some of the most famous novellas ever published in the history of humankind include:
- Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis
- Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
- George Orwell’s Animal Farm
- Leo Tolstoy’s Death of Ivan Illyich
- Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice
- Henry James’ Daisy Miller
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground
- H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds
As the world evolved, so did the novella. These popular short stories eventually became longer, focusing on character development more than plot. Today, a work of fiction with 50,000 or more words is generally considered a novel.
Here is a list of popular novels that have been considered some of the greatest works of literature ever written:
- James Joyce’s Ulysses
- Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote
- F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
- Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
- Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace
- William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
- Homer’s The Odyssey
- Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary
What Are Synonyms and Antonyms for the Word Novel?
There are many different words that you can use in place of the term novel. These are called synonyms: words with the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the same language.
According to Thesaurus, these are the synonyms for novel:
- Fiction
- Narrative
- Novella
- Paperback
- Prose
- Story
- Tale
- Yarn
- Novellette
- Romance
- Best-seller
- Cliff-hanger
- Potboiler
- Fantasy
- Work of prose fiction
On the other hand, a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g., bad and good) is called an antonym. Here is a list of antonyms for novel:
- Nonfiction
- Truth
- Tragedy
- Factuality
- Reality
- Fact
- Realism
- Documentary
Types of Novels
With every author bringing their unique voice and imagination to the table, it’s easy to see how novels can come in many different styles. While there are quite a few novel genres, here are three of the most popular types of novels commonly found in modern literature today:
- Mystery novels. These popular stories often revolve around a crime that the characters must solve. The traditional format in a mystery novel will generally have a detective surrounded by unique characters who help solve the crime or are suspects.
- Thriller novels. If you’re a science fiction fan or love the horror genre, then a good thriller novel is right up your alley. These extended fictional works are occasionally combined with other genres—such as mystery—and are written to induce a sense of suspense in the reader.
- Romance novels. A romance novel is categorized by having an emotionally satisfying and often positive ending. These endearing tales take the reader on a journey to become whole-heartedly invested in the character’s love story.
Does Novel Mean Anything Else?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word novel can also be used as an adjective, meaning new and/or different from what has been known before. Here are a handful of great examples of the adjective novel being used in a sentence below:
- Pamela suggested a novel approach to the issue at hand.
- The brand is searching for novel concepts to boost sales in December.
- Handled computers are novel devices.
- Ian wanted to place a bit on the artists’ last novel Italian novella.
- The disease caused by the novel coronavirus caused a pandemic.
Conclusion
A novel is a noun that can be defined as a fictional piece of prose typically written in a narrative style. The word novel can also be used as an adjective, meaning new and not resembling something formerly known or used.
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