novella

[ noh-vel-uh ]

noun

, plural no·vel·las, no·vel·le [noh-, vel, -ee, -, vel, -ey].

1. a tale or short story of the type contained in the Decameron of Boccaccio.
2. a fictional prose narrative that is longer and more complex than a short story; a short novel.

novella

/ nəʊˈvɛlə /

noun

1. (formerly) a short narrative tale, esp a popular story having a moral or satirical point, such as those in Boccaccio's Decameron
2. a short novel; novelette

Word History and Origins

Origin of novella¹

From Italian, dating back to 1900–05; novel ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of novella¹

C20: from Italian; see novel ¹

Example Sentences

Kliewer skillfully incorporates classic horror elements like delusions, an isolating storm and the paranormal with an alternative storyline written in Reddit-style posts — a nod to the novel’s origins, which began as a novella he posted on the social media site.

From Seattle Times

K-Ming Chang’s taut novella “Cecilia” explores the intensity of desire by slinking along the razor-thin line between love and obsession, between the desire to cuddle someone or consume them.

From Seattle Times

“Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” the crown jewel of the collection, is a 150-page crime novella about a man dealing with the aftermath of a strange dream and the obsessed detective with arithmomania hellbent on pinning a crime on him.

From New York Times

Published more than 20 years later, Henry James’ novella “In the Cage” offers a more cautionary tale.

From Slate

The novella ends with the telegraph operator leaving her “dreams and delusions” to “return to reality.”

From Slate

Related Words

• fiction
• narrative
• paperback
• prose
• story
• tale
• yarn