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)
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

Examples of novella in a Sentence

pressed for time, many English teachers have their students read the one novella among the novelist's works
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In his extensive career, King has published 65 novels and novellas, and also expanded into crime, sci-fi, fantasy and mystery genres. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025 Ali Hazelwood books in order Hazelwood has published standalone romance novels, novellas and even audio-only stories. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025 The inspiration hails from a slender, evocative novella by Denis Johnson that honors the manual laborers who built this country, focusing on one in particular, Robert Grainier, who carved out a window of happiness for a time. Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025 Data points like Danielle Steel (nine children, roughly 200 books) and Elizabeth Gaskell (seven children, more than a dozen novels and novellas, a biography of Charlotte Brontë, some poems) are uncommon. Molly Young, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near novella

Cite this Entry

“Novella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novella. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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

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!