Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an individual.
From the meaning of being unusual usage is derived the concept of the
novelty dance (a type of dance that is popular for being unusual or humorous); the
novelty song (a musical item that capitalizes on something new, unusual, or a current fad); the
novelty show (a competition or display in which exhibits or specimens are in way some novel); and
novelty architecture (a building or other structure that is interesting because it has an amusing design). It is also this sense that applies to a
novelty item, a small manufactured adornment, toy or collectible. These, in turn are often used as
promotional merchandise in
marketing. The
chess term, novelty, is used for a move in chess which has never been played before in a recorded game.
The term can have pejorative sense and refer to a mere ''innovation''. However,
novelty in patent law is part of the legal test to determine whether an invention is patentable. A
novelty effect is the tendency for performance to initially improve when new technology is instituted.
See also
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Novelty theory
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Innovation
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Creativity
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One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder or viral hit is any entity that achieves mainstream popularity, often for only one piece of work, and becomes known among the general public solely for that momentary success. The term is most commonly used in regard to music p ...
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Interest (emotion)
References
External links
{{wiktionary, novelty
Innovation