What does novelistic mean?
Novelistic means resembling a novel or having qualities typically associated with novels. It may describe prose that unfolds through sustained characterization, extended scenes, imaginative detail, or a broad narrative perspective. A novelistic description, for example, does more than briefly identify a person or place: it develops the appearance, surroundings, and associations of that person or place in a sustained literary style. The term can also be used more broadly for a treatment of events that is elaborate or shaped like a novel rather than presented as straightforward reporting. It is not simply a synonym for “fictional,” because it focuses on the qualities and form of novelistic writing. The word is especially common in literary criticism, reviews, and descriptions of nonfiction or visual art that deliberately evokes the texture of a novel.
adjectiveCharacteristic of a novel or of writing that resembles a novel, especially in its length, narrative structure, or imaginative treatment of character and events.
- Resembling a novel or displaying the narrative, descriptive, or character-focused qualities associated with novels.
"Her novelistic descriptions transform an ordinary journey into an epic adventure."
"The account is richly detailed and novelistic rather than strictly documentary."
"His novelistic treatment of ordinary life earned the novel widespread acclaim."
Novelistic ultimately points back to the Italian novella, meaning a new or small story, and to the Latin novus, meaning “new.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does novelistic come from?
Novelistic was formed in English from novel, meaning a lengthy fictional narrative, and the suffix -istic. Novel comes through Old French from Italian novella, a feminine form of novello meaning “new,” ultimately from Latin novellus, derived from novus, “new.” Words such as novelist, novelty, and novella share this historical family.
Related word forms
How novelistic is actually used
The adjective is most often used to describe prose, narration, characterization, or descriptions that possess the scale and form of a novel. It can sometimes suggest that a work is lengthy, highly developed, or imaginatively embellished.