# nouveau

/ˌnuˈvoʊ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nouveau
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. new and fashionable

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

new, modern, or fashionable in a way that is very noticeable.

For teachers: newly arrived or developed; often used to describe a style or social status that is modern and perhaps lacking in tradition.

- The hotel was decorated in a nouveau style that felt very modern.
- The architect's nouveau approach to urban planning was met with skepticism by those who preferred traditional brickwork.

### 2. young wine

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of wine that is sold and drunk very soon after the grapes are picked.

For teachers: a wine, most notably Beaujolais, that is released for consumption in the same year the grapes were harvested.

- We shared a bottle of fresh nouveau at the harvest festival.
- The release of the nouveau is celebrated annually in November, marking the first taste of the season's harvest.

## Examples

- The restaurant has a very nouveau style.
- The neighborhood has changed as nouveau developments replace the historic brick houses that once defined the area.
- While the nouveau riche are often criticized for their conspicuous consumption, their investment in the local economy provides a necessary stimulus that established families often fail to generate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.