What does novella mean?
A novella is a literary work longer than most short stories but shorter than a novel. It is used especially for prose narratives that develop a focused story with a small cast and concentrated development. The term does not imply an exact length: individual works and publishing traditions vary, and “novella” can carry a more deliberate or accomplished implication than “short story.” In ordinary literary discussion, the word therefore signals both form and scale, while also allowing room for style and reputation to shape the label. Less commonly, particularly in opera, a novella can refer to a short opera. The word remains relatively uncommon in casual conversation, where people are more likely to say “short story” or “short novel.” It remains useful because it distinguishes a substantial, tightly focused narrative from both the brief short story and the expansive novel without imposing a rigid numerical limit.
nounA short novel or long short story, typically a focused literary narrative that is shorter than a novel but longer than most short stories. In music, the term can also refer to a short opera.
- A literary work shorter than a novel but usually longer and more developed than a short story.
- A short opera, a comparatively uncommon musical sense.
"Her novella was published in a literary magazine before she expanded the story into a novel."
"She published her novella in a literary magazine before turning it into a novel."
"The company revived its old novella, a short opera, for the spring season."
Novelle is also an established plural, but novellas is more usual in contemporary English.
"The publisher released two novellas by emerging writers this season."
Novella comes from Italian novella, the feminine form of nuovo, “new”—a fitting origin for a literary form valued for freshness rather than sheer length.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does novella come from?
The word entered English from Italian novella, the feminine form of nuovo, meaning “new,” which derives from Latin novellus and ultimately Latin novus, “new.” Its literary history developed through the Italian novella, a short prose narrative, before English adopted the term for a short novel. Its relatives include novel, novelty, novice, and nouveau, all reflecting the same ancient root for something new.
How novella is actually used
Novella is primarily a literary term and is relatively uncommon in casual conversation. In the musical sense, it is more specialized and less frequently encountered than its literary meaning.
Easily confused with novella
A novella is generally shorter and more concentrated than a novel, although the distinction has no fixed word count.