New Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Pronunciation

Usage

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms new American [noo, nyoo] / nu, nyu /

adjective

newer, newest

1. of recent origin, production, purchase, etc.; having but lately come or been brought into being.

   a new book.

2. of a kind now existing or appearing for the first time; novel.

   a new concept of the universe.

3. having but lately or but now come into knowledge.

   a new chemical element.

4. unfamiliar or strange (often followed byto ): to visit new lands.

   ideas new to us;

   to visit new lands.

5. having but lately come to a place, position, status, etc..

   a reception for our new minister.

6. unaccustomed (usually followed byto ).

   people new to such work.

7. coming or occurring afresh; further; additional.

   new gains.

8. fresh or unused.

   to start a new sheet of paper.

9. (of physical or moral qualities) different and better.

   The vacation made a new man of him.

10. other than the former or the old: in the New World.

    a new era;

    in the New World.

11. being the later or latest of two or more things of the same kind: a new edition of Shakespeare.

    the New Testament;

    a new edition of Shakespeare.

12. (initial capital letter) (of a language) in its latest known period, especially as a living language at the present time.

    New High German.

13. the new, designating the newly fashionable, trendy, or popular thing, replacing or equaling the success of a specified previous one: Knitting is the new rock-'n'-roll.

    While nothing will ever replace black as “the new black,” these new neutrals, especially beige, look like contenders.

    Knitting is the new rock-'n'-roll.

    Is kelp the new kale?

adverb

1. recently or lately (usually used in combination).

   The valley was green with new-planted crops.

2. freshly; anew or afresh (often used in combination): new-mown hay.

   roses new washed with dew;

   new-mown hay.

noun

1. something that is new; a new object, quality, condition, etc..

   Ring out the old, ring in the new.

new British / njuː /

adjective

1. 1. recently made or brought into being

      a new dress

      our new baby

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the new

2. of a kind never before existing; novel

   a new concept in marketing

3. having existed before but only recently discovered

   a new comet

4. markedly different from what was before

   the new liberalism

5. fresh and unused; not second-hand

   a new car

6. (prenominal) having just or recently become

   a new bride

7. recently introduced (to); inexperienced (in) or unaccustomed (to)

   new to this neighbourhood

8. (capital in names or titles) more or most recent of two or more things with the same name

   the New Testament

9. (prenominal) fresh; additional

   I'll send some new troops

10. (often foll by to) unknown; novel

    this is new to me

11. (of a cycle) beginning or occurring again

    a new year

12. (prenominal) (of crops) harvested early

    new carrots

13. changed, esp for the better

    she returned a new woman from her holiday

14. up-to-date; fashionable

15. (capital when part of a name; prenominal) being the most recent, usually living, form of a language

    New High German

16. the new vogue

    comedy is the new rock'n'roll

17. to reform; make a fresh start

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

1. recently, freshly

   new-laid eggs

2. anew; again

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 new Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing new

• break (new) ground
• breathe new life into
• feel like (new)
• nothing new under the sun
• teach an old dog new tricks
• turn over a new leaf
• what's cooking (new)
• whole new ballgame

Pronunciation

Following the alveolar consonants , , and , two main types of pronunciation occur for the “long” vowel represented by the spellings u, ue, discontinuous u...e, and ew, as in student, due, nude, and new. In the North and North Midland U.S. immediately follows the alveolar consonant: , , , and . In the South Midland and Southern U.S., pronunciations of the type , , , and predominate. Both these types are traceable to England, as well as some less common ones, for example, those in which the high front vowel substitutes for the . A belief that the pronunciations are more prestigious sometimes leads to hypercorrection, the insertion of the y sound where historically it does not belong, leading to such pronunciations as for noon. Currently in the United States, a following , , , and , as in sue , resume , enthusiasm , and illusion , is used by some speakers, but is considered an affectation by others.

Usage

What is a basic definition of new? New describes something that only now exists or has been around for only a short time. New also describes something that has just appeared for the first time or that is unfamiliar. New has several other senses as an adjective, adverb, and a noun.If something is new, it has only been around for a short time. This sense of new is the opposite of old.Real-life examples: Most stores sell products that are brand-new—they have never been used or opened. The internet is a relatively new invention as it has only existed since the late 1960s. Other technologies are much newer.Used in a sentence: The agent showed off the new houses that were built last week. New also describes something that just now exists for the first time. In this sense, something is new if it is a completely unique creation.Real-life examples: Companies are always creating new products. Science and technology constantly lead to new ideas.Used in a sentence: Fans are happy that the author is writing a new book. New can describe something that is unfamiliar or strange. This sense is often written in the form of “new to.”Real-life examples: People often try things that are new to them, meaning they have never experienced them before, such as new foods, books, TV shows, or hobbies.Used in a sentence: Golf was new to me when I joined the club, but I grew to enjoy the sport over the years.

Related Words

New, fresh, novel describe things that have not existed or have not been known or seen before. New refers to something recently made, grown, or built, or recently found, invented, or discovered: a new car; new techniques. Fresh refers to something that has retained its original properties, or has not been affected by use or the passage of time: fresh strawberries; fresh ideas. Novel refers to something new that has an unexpected, strange, or striking quality, generally pleasing: a novel experience.

Other Word Forms

• newness noun
• quasi-new adjective
• quasi-newly adverb
• unnew adjective

Etymology

Origin of new

First recorded before 900; Middle English newe (adjective, adverb, and noun), Old English nēowe, nīewe, nīwe (adjective and adverb); cognate with Dutch nieuw, German neu, Old Norse nȳr, Gothic niujis, Old Irish núe, Welsh newydd, Greek neîos; akin to Latin novus, Old Church Slavonic novŭ, Greek néos, Sanskrit navas

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Chinese automakers could face more pressure in 2026 as China has scaled back trade-in subsidies for mid-to-lower-priced vehicles in the new year to promote technology innovation and improve the auto sector’s product mix, analysts said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company has been investing heavily in fields such as chip development, AI and self-driving technology as it seeks new avenues for growth.

From The Wall Street Journal

But India has been pushing into new markets, said Dhar, and the rupee’s slide last year helped bolster exports.

From The Wall Street Journal

Catching these events in real time gives scientists a rare window into how planets form and what kinds of materials come together to build new worlds.

From Science Daily

"It would be like paying two mortgage payments," she said of the new monthly price for healthcare.

From BBC

Related Words

• advanced
• brand-new
• contemporary
• current
• different
• late
• modern
• original
• recent
• state-of-the-art
• strange
• unfamiliar
• unique
• unusual

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.