VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

novelties

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈnɒv.əl.tiz/
US/ˈnɑː.vəl.tiz/

“novelties” is a form of “novelty”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    Small cheap items sold mainly for fun, such as toys, trinkets and joke objects.

    Grammar: Plural form of novelty used for this sense: rubber toys and other novelties.

    Patterns

    • sell novelties

    The seaside shop sells postcards, sunglasses and plastic novelties.

    He filled the party bags with small novelties like whistles and stickers.

    The airport store was full of novelties shaped like local landmarks.

  2. nounplural

    Things that are new, different or unusual, which people find interesting for a while.

    Grammar: Plural of novelty: new things that attract attention at first.

    Patterns

    • the novelties of something

    Moving abroad, she enjoyed the novelties of a new language and food.

    The festival showed the latest technical novelties.

    Children quickly get bored with novelties that lose their charm.

Word forms

singularnovelty

Common combinations

gifts and novelties
They run a stall selling gifts and novelties.
novelties shop
We stopped at a novelties shop to buy souvenirs.
cheap novelties
The market had rows of cheap novelties for children.
technical novelties
The fair introduced several technical novelties.
novelties of city life
Newcomers are often amazed by the novelties of city life.

Synonyms and how they differ

trinkets
Trinkets are small decorative objects of little value, while novelties are often meant to amuse.
gimmicks
Gimmicks are tricks to attract attention and often sound critical, whereas novelties can be harmless fun.
innovations
Innovations are real improvements and carry approval, but novelties may only be new without being useful.
curiosities
Curiosities are interesting rare things, while novelties are simply new or fun.

Opposites

classicsstaples

Word family

novelty noun
the quality of being new, or a small fun item
novel adjective
new and unlike what came before
innovate verb
to introduce new methods or ideas
novelty adjective
used before a noun for fun items, as in novelty socks

Commonly confused: novelties or novels?

novelties vs novels

Novels are long works of fiction, whereas novelties are new or fun objects.

Practice

Which place would most likely sell novelties?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “novelties”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words