novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈve-lə 

plural novellas or novelle nō-ˈve-lē 

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

• narrative
• novelette
• short story
• story
• tale
• yarn

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

Watch on Deadline Along with two Art of Emily the Strange volumes, there are four novels published by HarperCollins, four graphic novellas published by Chronicle Books, and a 27-issue Emily the Strange comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics, which was a New York Times Bestseller. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024

Adapted from Barker's novella The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser revolves around a mysterious puzzle box known as the Lament Configuration. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Amazon Prime Video Hellraiser Year: 1987 Runtime: 1h 34m Director: Clive Barker The horror author Clive Barker directed this adaptation of his own novella The Hellbound Heart and made genre movie history. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

From the introduction to a new edition of By Night in Chile, a novella by Roberto Bolaño that was published in 2000 by Editorial Anagrama. —Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

novella

noun

no·​vel·​la nō-ˈvel-ə 

: a work of fiction falling between a short story and a novel in length and complexity