nova

nova (stellar explosion)

noun NOH-vah Rare

Origin: Latin nova stella (new star)

Usage Note

nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness. It is used unchanged from Latin in French scientific writing. It differs from a supernova (supernova in French), which involves the complete destruction of the star. The plural in French is generally novas or sometimes novae in scholarly texts.

Examples

"Les astronomes ont observé une nova brillante."

Natural Translation

The astronomers observed a bright nova.

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