nova
UK[ˈnəʊvə]US[ˈnoʊvə]
n
A star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion on its surface, ejecting most of its mass.
Morpheme Breakdown
nov
a
nov
new
a
feminine singular suffix
Etymology
The word 'nova' is a direct borrowing from the Latin feminine adjective 'nova', meaning "new (star)". This Latin term is itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European root néwos, meaning "new". The astronomical application originates from the Latin phrase 'stella nova', used by early astronomers to describe a star that appeared where none was seen before. Over time, the term was reanalyzed as a single noun, 'nova', specifically denoting a star that undergoes a sudden, dramatic increase in brightness, creating the appearance of a new celestial object in the night sky.
Analysis
Structure: nov (new) + a (feminine singular suffix)
- nov: Latin origin, meaning "new". It functions as the core root conveying the central semantic concept.
- a: Latin origin, a feminine singular nominative suffix. In this construction, it functions to nominalize the adjective root, forming a feminine noun.
Examples
The telescope captured the brilliant light of the nova.
Astronomers were excited to observe a recurrent nova in a nearby galaxy.
The term "supernova" describes an even more powerful stellar explosion.