Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Novel \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.

   Note: 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.

   Usage: {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.

Novel \Nov"el\, n. [F. nouvelle. See {Novel}, a.]
   1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty.

   2. pl. News; fresh tidings. [Obs.]

            Some came of curiosity to hear some novels.
                                                  --Latimer.

   3. A fictitious tale or narrative, professing to be conformed
      to real life; esp., one intended to exhibit the operation
      of the passions, and particularly of love. --Dryden.

   4. [L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles.] (Law)
      A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under
      {Novel}, a.

Source : WordNet®

novel
     adj 1: of a kind not seen before; "the computer produced a
            completely novel proof of a well-known theorem" [syn:
            {fresh}, {new}]
     2: pleasantly novel or different; "common sense of a most
        refreshing sort" [syn: {refreshing}]

novel
     n 1: a extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a
          story
     2: a printed and bound book that is an extended work of
        fiction; "his bookcases were filled with nothing but
        novels"; "he burned all the novels"