# novelty

/ˈnɑvəɫti/ (US) · /nˈɒvəlti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/novelty
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 3. unusual for fun

adjective · CEFR B2

describes something made to be funny or unusual rather than serious.

For teachers: denoting an item intended to be amusing or unusual, often lacking practical utility. Typically used as an attributive adjective.

- He wore a novelty tie with dancing penguins to the office party.
- The company marketed a range of novelty kitchen gadgets that, while visually striking, were notoriously difficult to clean and maintain.

## Examples

- The novelty of the new job wore off after a month.
- The shop sells various novelties like plastic sunglasses and keychains to tourists visiting the beach.
- While the initial novelty of remote work provided a boost in morale, many employees eventually found the lack of physical social interaction detrimental to their long-term creativity.

---

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.