Pronunciation: [nˈuːvə͡ʊ] (IPA) 
The word "nouveau" comes from French and means "new" or "modern". Its spelling can be a bit tricky for English speakers, as the "nouv" sound is pronounced differently than it looks. The IPA phonetic transcription for "nouveau" is /nuvo/, with the "n" sound at the beginning followed by a "oo" sound and then a "v" sound. The "-eau" ending in French is pronounced like "oh", so the word is pronounced "noo-VOH" in English.
Nouveau is an adjective of French origin that has been adopted into the English language to describe something new, fresh, or modern. It is typically used to refer to a style, fashion, or trend that is characteristic of the present time or that has recently emerged. The term is often associated with innovative, cutting-edge ideas or designs, particularly in creative fields like art, architecture, and fashion.
In its literal translation from French, nouveau means "new." However, in English usage, adding the word nouveau to a noun implies not just newness, but also a sense of novelty, sophistication, or even a departure from established conventions. For instance, in the phrase "nouveau riche," which is derived from French, it refers to someone who has recently acquired wealth and is often seen as flaunting their newfound status with ostentatious displays of luxury.
The term nouveau can also be used in a negative or critical sense when it implies a certain shallowness or lack of authenticity. This is particularly evident in the phrase "nouveau-riche pretense," which denotes the exaggerated attempts of someone to appear wealthy or of high social standing, despite lacking genuine refinement or cultural capital.
Overall, nouveau is a versatile term that conveys the sense of something being new, fresh, or fashionable, carrying with it connotations of innovation, modernity, and sometimes ostentation or superficiality.
The word "nouveau" comes from the French language, specifically from the Old French word "novele" which means "new". It can be traced back to the Latin word "novellus", meaning "new, young, fresh" or "recently arisen". The term "nouveau" has been adopted in various contexts to describe something new, innovative, or modern.
