new wave

American  

noun

1. a movement, trend, or vogue, as in art, literature, or politics, that breaks with traditional concepts, values, techniques, or the like.

2. (often initial capital letters) a group of leaders or representatives of such a movement, especially of French film directors of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

3. (often initial capital letters) a largely minimalist but emotionally intense style of rock music, being an outgrowth of punk rock in the late 1970s, typified by spare or repetitive arrangements, and emphasizing energetic, unpolished performance.

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New Wave ¹ British  

noun

1. Also known as: La Nouvelle Vague.  a movement in the French cinema of the 1960s, led by such directors as Godard, Truffaut, and Resnais, characterized by a fluid use of the camera and an abandonment of traditional editing techniques

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New Wave ² British  

noun

1. rock music of the late 1970s, related to punk but more complex: sometimes used to include punk

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new wave ³ British  

noun

1. a movement in art, film-making, politics, etc, that consciously breaks with traditional ideas

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Other Word Forms

• new-wave adjective
• newwaver noun

Etymology

Origin of new wave

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

She’s part of a new wave of travelers, particularly Gen Z, opting for these types of trips over extended vacations, according to an AirBnb trend report.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

"I don't see a new wave of young people coming into organisations wanting to work from home, being more vulnerable, more fragile. I don't see that," Amitrano said.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

“Europe is ill prepared for a new wave of refugees from the Middle East,” Drea says.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

“Europe is ill prepared for a new wave of refugees from the Middle East,” Drea says.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

As a new wave of rats danced along the edge of the clearing all three men ran to the truck and from it pulled long-handled nets.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien