new
/njuː/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
New means recently made, bought, found, or started. It can also mean not used before, or different from what came before.
- I bought a new phone yesterday.
- She has a new job.
- This is a new idea.
Adinary Nuance
New is the most general word for something that is recent or not old. Fresh often suggests something recently made or recently prepared, like bread or news. Modern can mean current or up-to-date, while novel often sounds more formal and means original or unusual. Brand-new is stronger than new and stresses that nothing has been used before.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- mới
- Spanish
- nuevo
- Chinese
- 新的
- Japanese
- 新しい
- Korean
- 새로운
Etymology
New comes from Old English neowe, from Proto-Germanic. It has been used in English since early times.
Common phrases
new ideanew jobnew to somethingnew and improved
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between new and fresh?
- New means recently made or started. Fresh often suggests recently made, clean, or not stale.
- Can I say a new person?
- Yes, but it usually means someone unknown to you, or new in a place or group.
- Is new formal or informal?
- New is neutral. You can use it in speaking, writing, and business English.