novelty
/ˈnɒvlti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnɑːvlti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnä-vəl-tē/ (ame, mw)
novelty — noun
- noveltysingular
- noveltiesplural
1. how new and different from what is familiar something is, which makes people fin
how new and different from what is familiar something is, which makes people find it interesting or attention-grabbing
The novelty of living in a big city wore off after Tamar's first six months.
collocation: novelty wears off
Beatrix enjoyed the novelty of walking to work instead of driving every day.
pattern: the novelty of + gerund
After a few weeks, the novelty of waking up early to jog had completely worn off for Femi.
The novelty of the new smartphone features faded quickly for most users.
- newness
more direct and matter-of-fact; lacks the connotation of excitement that 'novelty' carries
- originality
focuses on creativity and inventiveness rather than simply being new or unfamiliar
- freshness
suggests something clean, lively, or unspoiled; common in food, ideas, and design contexts
- familiarity
the state of knowing something well, which removes the element of surprise or interest
- commonness
suggests something is ordinary and lacks the quality of being new or unusual
文法句型
the novelty of [noun/noun phrase]
novelty + verb (wears off / fades)
用法筆記
Uncountable. Often followed by 'of + noun/gerund' to specify what is new. Frequently used with verbs like 'wear off' or 'fade' to describe loss of interest over time.
常見錯誤
2. any event, place, or thing you find interesting simply because you have not expe
any event, place, or thing you find interesting simply because you have not experienced it before
For the children, riding a pony was a complete novelty they would not forget.
pattern: be a [complete/real] novelty
After growing up in the desert, seeing rain was still a genuine novelty for Sirin.
Snow was such a novelty for Defne and her classmates from the tropical island.
The restaurant's menu offers novelties like fried ice cream and matcha tiramisu.
- first
informal; often used as a noun ('a first for me'); suggests a single memorable occasion
- new sensation
emphasises the feeling of excitement or surprise more than the event itself
- new experience
more literal and neutral; less emphatic about the interesting quality
文法句型
a novelty
be a novelty to [someone]
用法筆記
Countable — takes an article ('a novelty') and has a plural form ('novelties'). The preposition 'to' introduces the person who finds the experience new: 'That was a novelty to me.'
常見錯誤
3. a small manufactured object that is inexpensive and unusual in appearance or fun
a small manufactured object that is inexpensive and unusual in appearance or function, often sold as a gift or souvenir
Lukas picked up novelties from the street market to bring back for his cousins.
The gift shop sold key rings and other small novelties for tourists visiting the harbour.
collocation: small novelties
Heather received a novelty pen that lit up whenever she wrote with it.
Novelty shops along the boardwalk sell everything from rubber chickens to glow-in-the-dark stars.
- trinket
a small decorative item, often with little practical value; slightly more old-fashioned
- knick-knack
informal; emphasises small size and decorative function rather than unusualness
- gimmick
has a slightly negative connotation; suggests the item's unusual feature is a trick to attract buyers
- necessity
something essential for daily life, the opposite of a decorative or amusing extra
- everyday item
an ordinary object without unusual features
文法句型
novelty + noun (item / shop / gift)
a novelty
用法筆記
Countable and can be used attributively before another noun ('novelty item', 'novelty shop'). Unlike sense 2, this sense does not carry the idea of a memorable experience — it refers only to a physical product.