Nov"el (?), a. [OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L. novellus, dim.
of novus new. See New.] Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient;
new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising.
In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are
supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books.
These contained new decrees of successive emperors.
Novel assignment (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit.
Syn. -- New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare; unusual.
-- Novel, New . Everything at its first occurrence is new; that is
novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with
surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that
is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but
seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some
very peculiar means of attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded
with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound.