newness

[ noo-nis, nyoo- ]

noun

1. the fact or condition of having been only recently produced, purchased, discovered or learned about, etc.:

   If the brakes seem a little “grabby,” it may be due to the newness of the car—just over 1,500 miles on the odometer.

2. the fact or quality of being unfamiliar or novel:

   It's a sweet song, speaking of the newness and excitement of falling in love for the first time.

3. the fact or condition of being unaccustomed to or unfamiliar with something (often followed by to ):

   Use your newness to the business as an excuse to bumble around, introduce yourself, and take people out to coffee.

4. the fact or condition of being fresh or previously unused or untouched:

   Following the blizzard, the newness of the snow cover made the ravine a serene-looking place.

5. the fact or quality of being different and better than before:

   For Christians, baptism symbolizes the death and burial of their old life and their resurrection to “walk in newness of life.”

Other Words From

• un·new·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of newness¹

First recorded before 900; new ( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

Newness is found in some very familiar places.

From Los Angeles Times

The used pitch was made possible by the first two Tests being played at the same venue, so the move to Rawalpindi at least provides an element of newness.

From BBC

But newness alone is not adequate, some leaders in the opera world would say, and the cautionary tales of past failed premieres seem to prove.

From Salon

Michelle Obama tapped directly into that feeling, acknowledging its newness and contrasting it with her own recent, pre-Harris fears.

From Los Angeles Times

Once at the forefront of cutting-edge L.A. style, Fred Segal had become stagnant and lacked newness, they said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• novelty
• uniqueness