Hobbies / A2

NOVL/ˈnɒvl/

A novel is a long fictional book: read a novel, a detective novel, her first novel. Story can be short; a novel is book-length. Fiction is the wider type. Novel as an adjective means new and unusual — extra later. Do not write novel when you mean a travel guide, or navel (the belly button).

Meaning

A long written story about people and events that are not real.

Examples

• “I am reading a novel about life in a small town.”
• “This novel is set in a seaside town.”
• “He borrowed three novels from the library.”

Good to know

read a novel / a detective novel. Shorter cousin: story. Mix-up: navel.

Topics

New