novelty

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The state of being new or novel; newness.

   “It was by no means pleasant to realize that there was an unknown number of menaces up there over your head, quietly circling and circling until someone should arrange for them to drop - and that there was nothing to be done about them. Still, life has to go on - and novelty is a wonderfully short-lived thing. One became used to the idea perforce.”

   “Men In Black 3 lacks the novelty of the first film, and its take on the late ’60s feels an awful lot like a psychedelic dress-up party, all broad caricatures and groovy vibes.”

2. (countable, uncountable)A new product; an innovation.

   “Reconciling profound enquiry with clearness, and truth with novelty.”

3. (countable, uncountable)A small mass-produced trinket.

   “One released image shows Trump with six women with leis whose faces were redacted by committee members, while another depicts what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!” The condoms – shown in a bowl with a “Trump condom $4.50” sign – were produced by a novelty shop in New York City named Fishs Eddy.”

4. (countable, uncountable)In novelty theory, newness, density of complexification, and dynamic change as opposed to static habituation.
5. (countable, uncountable)An opening move played for the first time ever (in high-level chess).

   “Topalov has unveiled some interesting novelties lately, but there was nothing unusual in his opening here. Sasikiran played the Nimzo-Indian, and Topalov replied with probably the most classical continuation.”

   “It's not often a novelty comes as early as move seven nowadays, but in the latest round of the German Bundesliga, a recently discovered seventh move was employed to win a lovely game.”

   “The Russian champion still did very well. Nepomniachtchi was only a wildcard, yet played with full force including an interesting novelty in the much analysed Berlin Wall Ruy Lopez.”

adj

1. (not-comparable)In the design of a common household item, often impractically large, and meant primarily for display rather than functional use.

   “My novelty calculator works fine but it hurts my hands to press the keys.”

name

1. A village in Missouri.