nova

See also: Appendix:Variations of "nova"

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊvə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊvə/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊvə
• Hyphenation: no‧va

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *nu

Proto-Indo-European *néwos

Proto-Italic *nowos

Latin novusder.

English nova

Feminine nominative singular of Latin novus (“new”). The feminine is used since stella (“star”) is feminine; thus nova is a shortening of new star (“nova stella”), first used in this sense in 1573 by Tycho Brahe.

Noun

nova (plural novae or novas)

1. (astronomy) Any sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star.
   • 2024 August 21, Ashley Strickland, “An unusual object is moving so fast it could escape the Milky Way. Scientists aren’t certain what it is”, in CNN‎^[1], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 24 September 2024:

     In these stellar pairings, if the two stars are close together, the white dwarf will siphon mass away from its companion and have an outburst called a nova. And when the white dwarf accumulates too much mass, it will collapse and explode in a supernova.

2. (astronomy) Ellipsis of classical nova

Coordinate terms

• cataclysmic variable
• transient

Derived terms

• classical nova
• dwarf nova
• failed supernova
• hypernova
• kilonova
• macronova
• micronova
• millinova
• novalike, nova-like
• nova remnant
• peta-nova, petanova
• quark nova
• recurrent nova
• red nova
• stellar nova
• supernova
• supernova imposter
• supernova remnant
• unnova

Related terms

• novel
• novum

Translations

sudden brightening of a star

• Arabic: مُسْتَعِر m (mustaʕir)
• Bulgarian: нова звезда (nova zvezda)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 新星 (zh) (xīnxīng)

• Esperanto: novao
• Finnish: nova (fi)
• French: nova (fr) f
• Galician: nova (gl) f
• German: Nova (de) f
• Greek: νόβα m (nóva), καινοφανής (el) m (kainofanís), νεολαμπής (el) m (neolampís)
• Italian: nova (it) f
• Japanese: 新星 (ja) (しんせい, shinsei)
• Korean: 신성 (ko) (sinseong)
• Persian: نواختر (fa) (now-axtar)
• Polish: nowa (pl) f
• Portuguese: nova (pt) f
• Romanian: novă (ro) f
• Russian: но́вая звезда́ f (nóvaja zvezdá), (prof. slang) но́вая (ru) f (nóvaja), но́ва f (nóva)
• Slovak: nova (sk) f
• Slovene: nóva f
• Spanish: nova (es) f
• Vietnamese: tân tinh (vi)

See also

• planetary nebula
• plerion
• preplanetary nebula
• protoplanetary nebula

Etymology 2

Blend of novum + Latin -a. From the Latin -a suffix used as the plural suffix form for singular words ending with -um (an inflection of -us).

Alternative forms

• novums

Noun

nova

1. plural of novum

Related terms

• novel

Further reading

• “nova”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• Avon, Vona

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [ˈno̞.βə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˈnɔ.və]
• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈnɔ.βə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈnɔ.va]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [ˈnɔ.βa]

• Audio (Valencia):

  (file)

Adjective

nova

1. feminine singular of nou

Noun

nova f (plural noves)

1. (in the plural) news

   Synonym: notícia

Further reading

• “nova”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnoː.vaː/
• Hyphenation: no‧va
• Rhymes: -oːvaː

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin nova, from nova stella, stella nova.

Noun

nova f (plural novae or nova's, diminutive novaatje n)

1. (astronomy) nova, nova star

Derived terms

• dwergnova
• hypernova
• kilonova
• micronova
• supernova

Related terms

• cataclysmisch variabele ster
• variabele ster
• veranderlijke ster

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

nova

1. plural of novum

Esperanto

Etymology

From Italian nuovo, Spanish nuevo, Portuguese novo, from Latin novus. May also be a derivation from Polish nowy or Russian но́вый (nóvyj). All are derived from Proto-Indo-European *néwos, including similar cognates in other Indo-European languages (English new, German neu, French nouveau, Lithuanian naujas, Ancient Greek νέος (néos), Persian نو (now), Hindi नया (nayā)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnova/

• Audio 1:

  (file)

• Audio 2:

  (file)

• Audio 3:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ova
• Syllabification: no‧va

Adjective

nova (accusative singular novan, plural novaj, accusative plural novajn)

1. new

   Oni ne povas instrui al maljuna hundo novajn ruzojn.

   You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

Antonyms

• malnova

Further reading

• “nova”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “nova”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Finnish

Etymology

From Latin nova.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnoʋɑ/, [ˈno̞ʋɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -oʋɑ
• Syllabification^(key): no‧va
• Hyphenation^(key): no‧va

Noun

nova

1. nova (sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star)

Declension

Inflection of nova (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		nova	novat
genitive		novan	novien
partitive		novaa	novia
illative		novaan	noviin
		singular	plural
nominative		nova	novat
accusative	nom.	nova	novat
	gen.	novan
genitive		novan	novien novain rare
partitive		novaa	novia
inessive		novassa	novissa
elative		novasta	novista
illative		novaan	noviin
adessive		novalla	novilla
ablative		novalta	novilta
allative		novalle	noville
essive		novana	novina
translative		novaksi	noviksi
abessive		novatta	novitta
instructive		—	novin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of nova (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative novani novani accusative nom. novani novani gen. novani genitive novani novieni novaini rare partitive novaani noviani inessive novassani novissani elative novastani novistani illative novaani noviini adessive novallani novillani ablative novaltani noviltani allative novalleni novilleni essive novanani novinani translative novakseni novikseni abessive novattani novittani instructive — — comitative — novineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative novasi novasi accusative nom. novasi novasi gen. novasi genitive novasi noviesi novaisi rare partitive novaasi noviasi inessive novassasi novissasi elative novastasi novistasi illative novaasi noviisi adessive novallasi novillasi ablative novaltasi noviltasi allative novallesi novillesi essive novanasi novinasi translative novaksesi noviksesi abessive novattasi novittasi instructive — — comitative — novinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative novamme novamme accusative nom. novamme novamme gen. novamme genitive novamme noviemme novaimme rare partitive novaamme noviamme inessive novassamme novissamme elative novastamme novistamme illative novaamme noviimme adessive novallamme novillamme ablative novaltamme noviltamme allative novallemme novillemme essive novanamme novinamme translative novaksemme noviksemme abessive novattamme novittamme instructive — — comitative — novinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative novanne novanne accusative nom. novanne novanne gen. novanne genitive novanne novienne novainne rare partitive novaanne novianne inessive novassanne novissanne elative novastanne novistanne illative novaanne noviinne adessive novallanne novillanne ablative novaltanne noviltanne allative novallenne novillenne essive novananne novinanne translative novaksenne noviksenne abessive novattanne novittanne instructive — — comitative — novinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative novansa novansa accusative nom. novansa novansa gen. novansa genitive novansa noviensa novainsa rare partitive novaansa noviaan noviansa inessive novassaan novassansa novissaan novissansa elative novastaan novastansa novistaan novistansa illative novaansa noviinsa adessive novallaan novallansa novillaan novillansa ablative novaltaan novaltansa noviltaan noviltansa allative novalleen novallensa novilleen novillensa essive novanaan novanansa novinaan novinansa translative novakseen novaksensa novikseen noviksensa abessive novattaan novattansa novittaan novittansa instructive — — comitative — novineen novinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• kääpiönova
• mikronova
• novapurkaus
• supernova

Further reading

• “nova”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Anagrams

• avon, vaon

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɔ.va/

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Homophones: novas, novât

Noun

nova f (plural novas or novae or novæ)

1. (astronomy) nova

Verb

nova

1. third-person singular past historic of nover

Further reading

• “nova”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔβɐ/
• Rhymes: -ɔβɐ, -ɔβa
• Hyphenation: no‧va

Etymology 1

From novo (“new”).

Noun

nova f (plural novas)

1. item of news

   Synonyms: noticia, novidade

Adjective

nova

1. feminine singular of novo

Etymology 2

Noun

nova f (plural novas)

1. (astronomy) nova (any sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star)

Related terms

• supernova

Further reading

• “nova”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

Ido

Etymology

From earlier nuva, from Esperanto nova, from English new and novel, French nouveau and nouvel, German neu, Italian nuovo, Portuguese novo, Russian но́вый (nóvyj), Spanish nuevo, all ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *néwos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈno.va/, /ˈnɔ.va/

Adjective

nova

1. new, novel (of things)

   Ico esas nova skrachuro sur mea automobilo!

   This is a new scratch on my car!

2. new (in service, office) (of persons)

Antonyms

• anciena (“anicent, old”)

Derived terms

• novajo (“a new thing, novelty”)
• nove (“newly, freshly”)
• novero (“innovator”)
• novigar (“to innovate”)
• novo (“a newcomer”)
• novyara (“New Year”)
• novyaro (“New Year”)

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.va/
• Rhymes: -ɔva
• Hyphenation: nò‧va

Etymology 1

From New Latin nova.

Noun

nova f (plural nove)

1. nova

Derived terms

• ipernova
• supernova

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

nova

1. feminine singular of novo

Anagrams

• vano, vanò

Latin

Etymology 1

Noun use of the feminine form of novus (“new”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔ.wa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔː.va]

Noun

nova f (genitive novae); first declension

1. (New Latin, astronomy) nova

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	nova	novae
genitive	novae	novārum
dative	novae	novīs
accusative	novam	novās
ablative	novā	novīs
vocative	nova	novae

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• nova:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔ.wa]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔː.va]
• novā:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔ.waː]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈnɔː.va]

Adjective

nova

1. inflection of novus:
   1. feminine nominative/vocative singular
   2. neuter nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Adjective

novā

1. feminine ablative singular of novus

Neapolitan

Adjective

nova f sg

1. feminine singular of nuovo

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.vɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.vɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.vɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.bɐ/ [ˈnɔ.βɐ]

• Audio (Brazil):

  (file)

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔvɐ
• Hyphenation: no‧va

Noun

nova f (plural novas)

1. (usually in the plural) news
2. (astronomy) nova

Derived terms

• boa nova
• fazer-se de novas

Adjective

nova

1. feminine singular of novo

Further reading

• “nova”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “nova”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French nover, from Latin novāre.

Verb

a nova (third-person singular present novează, past participle novat) 1st conjugation

1. to novate

Conjugation

    conjugation of nova (first conjugation, -ez- infix)

infinitive			a nova
gerund			novând
past participle			novat
number		singular			plural
person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	novez	novezi	novează	novăm	novați	novează
	imperfect	novam	novai	nova	novam	novați	novau
	simple perfect	novai	novași	novă	novarăm	novarăți	novară
	pluperfect	novasem	novaseși	novase	novaserăm	novaserăți	novaseră
subjunctive		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	să novez	să novezi	să noveze	să novăm	să novați	să noveze
imperative		—	tu	—	—	voi	—
	affirmative		novează			novați
	negative		nu nova			nu novați

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nôːʋa/
• Hyphenation: no‧va

Noun

nȏva f (Cyrillic spelling но̑ва)

1. nova

Declension

Declension of nova

	singular	plural
nominative	nova	nove
genitive	nove	nova
dative	novi	novama
accusative	novu	nove
vocative	novo	nove
locative	novi	novama
instrumental	novom	novama

Adjective

nova (Cyrillic spelling нова)

1. inflection of nov:
   1. feminine nominative/vocative singular
   2. indefinite masculine/neuter genitive singular
   3. indefinite animate masculine accusative singular
   4. neuter nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Sicilian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔva/, [ˈnɔː.vɑ̝]
• Hyphenation: nò‧va

Adjective

nova f sg

1. feminine singular of novu

Noun

nova f

1. news

   nessuna nova, bona nova ― no news is good news

Synonyms

• nuvità
• nutizzii
• infurmazioni
• nuveddu

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnoba/ [ˈno.β̞a]
• Rhymes: -oba
• Syllabification: no‧va

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin (stēlla) nova.

Noun

nova f (plural novas)

1. (astronomy) nova

Etymology 2

Verb

nova

1. inflection of novar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “nova”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026

Venetan

Adjective

nova

1. feminine singular of novo

Veps

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *nëva. Cognates include Finnish neva.

Noun

nova

1. swamp, marsh, quagmire

Inflection

Inflection of nova (inflection type 6/kuva)
nominative sing.	nova
genitive sing.	novan
partitive sing.	novad
partitive plur.	novid
	singular	plural
nominative	nova	novad
accusative	novan	novad
genitive	novan	noviden
partitive	novad	novid
essive-instructive	novan	novin
translative	novaks	novikš
inessive	novas	noviš
elative	novaspäi	novišpäi
illative	novaha	novihe
adessive	noval	novil
ablative	novalpäi	novilpäi
allative	novale	novile
abessive	novata	novita
comitative	novanke	novidenke
prolative	novadme	novidme
approximative I	novanno	novidenno
approximative II	novannoks	novidennoks
egressive	novannopäi	novidennopäi
terminative I	novahasai	novihesai
terminative II	novalesai	novilesai
terminative III	novassai	—
additive I	novahapäi	novihepäi
additive II	novalepäi	novilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “топь, трясина”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[3], Petrozavodsk: Periodika