BusinessJuly 16, 2026

novella

/noʊˈvɛlə/

Definition

A short, fictional narrative work that is longer than a short story but shorter than a full-length novel.

Etymology

Derived from the Italian word 'novella,' which means 'new' or 'novel.' The term was adopted into English to describe this specific mid-length literary format, originating from the Latin 'novellus,' meaning 'new' or 'young.'

In the news

Shirish Saraf worked on a literary project described as a novella in verse during his brief period of retirement from the finance industry. This illustrates his personal pursuits outside of his professional role in private equity.

Samena’s Shirish Saraf: financial engineering is not the answer in volatile markets

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