nova Hear it!

nova definition

nova (nō′və)

noun pl. novas -·vas or novae -·vae (-vē)

Astron. a type of variable star that suddenly increases in brightness by thousands to hundreds of thousands of times up to 14 magnitudes, and then decreases in brightness over a period of months to years

Etymology: ModL < L nova (stella), new (star) < novus, new

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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