Nouveau
/ˌnuːˈvoʊ/noun
A French-derived English word meaning new or modern, often used in expressions such as “nouveau riche.”
Did you know?The famous phrase “nouveau riche” literally means “new rich,” originally marking newly acquired wealth as socially different from inherited status.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*néwos
“New; fresh or recently made”
Classical Latin
Latin
novus
“New, fresh, unusual, or unprecedented”
Late Latin
Latin
novellus
“New or young; a diminutive form related to novus”
Old French
Old French
novel
“New or recent”
Middle French
French
nouveau
“New; the masculine singular form developed through historical sound changes”
Modern English
English
nouveau
“New or modern, especially in culturally or socially marked expressions”