novelist
(ˈnɒvəlɪst)
Also 6 noouelist, 7– nouell-, 7–9 novell-; 7 nouelist(e.
[f. novel n. + -ist: cf. F. nouvelliste (1620), It. and Pg. novellista, Sp. novelista.]
† 1. An innovator, an introducer of something new; a favourer of novelty. Obs. (Very common in 17th c.)
| 1583 Foxe A. & M. (1634) III. 904 Had you rather hold with these Novelists, as with Calvin? 1589 G. Harvey Pierce's Super. Wks. (Grosart) II. 208 All the grayer heads begin to be stale with these Noouellists. 1608 Willet Hexapla Exod. 571 Augustine doth directly oppose him⁓selfe to all such Dogmatistes and Nouelistes. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iv. xix. (1695) 402 To have his Authority of forty years standing..over-turned by an upstart Novelist. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th C. vi. iii. 239 By this Faith he must not understand a simple Belief (with the Novelists). |
† 2. One who is inexperienced; a novice. Obs.—1
| 1630 S. Lennard tr. Charron's Wisd. ii. vii. §18. 305 There is not any thing so easie that doth not hurt and hinder vs, if wee bee but nouelists therein. |
† 3. A newsmonger, news-carrier. Obs.
| 1706 Lond. Gaz. No. 4207/3 The Novelist; The Tale Bearer. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 178 ¶2 My Contemporaries the Novelists have..a most happy Art in saying and unsaying. 1764 Goldsm. Hist. Eng. (1771) III. 186 If we may credit the novelists of that time, the prince had already fixed his affections upon the French princess. |
4. A writer of novels.
| 1728 Morgan Algiers II. iii. 239 Such opportunities of gallantizing their Wives, as the French and other Novelists, I mean Novel-writers, would insinuate. 1766 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. iv. 155 With..Novelists..we may join the common herd of Play-writers. 1804 Gentl. Mag. LXXIV. 404 Many of our novellists..complain of the dullness of the market at home. 1849–50 Alison Hist. Europe I. i. §22. 68 The graphic novelist, with historic truth, makes Norman Richard the leader of English chivalry. 1895 Tyrrell Latin Poet. 220 The Greek novelists actually turned their backs on the portraiture of character. |