# nova

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈnəʊ.və/ · frequency rank #8,069

## Definitions
1. Any sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star.
2. Ellipsis of classical nova

## Etymology
Feminine nominative singular of Latin novus (“new”). The feminine is used since stella (“star”) is feminine; thus nova is a shortening of nova stella (“new star”), first used in this sense in 1573 by Tycho Brahe.

## Easily confused with
- **now** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-now)
- **NSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-nsa)
- **NRA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-nra)
- **nox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-nox)
- **NWA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-nwa)
- **nya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-nya)
- **novi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-novi)
- **novel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-novel)
- **Novak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nova-vs-novak)
- **na** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/na-vs-nova)
- **not** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/not-vs-nova)
- **non** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/non-vs-nova)
- **nor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nor-vs-nova)
- **NBA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nba-vs-nova)
- **nov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nov-vs-nova)
- **nod** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nova)
- **nos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nos-vs-nova)
- **nav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nav-vs-nova)
- **nom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nom-vs-nova)
- **nia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nia-vs-nova)

## Common misspellings (5)
`nnova`, `noav`, `novva`, `nvoa`, `onva`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nova