nova
noun /ˈnəʊvə/
/ˈnəʊvə/
(plural novae
(astronomy) /ˈnəʊviː/
/ˈnəʊviː/
, novas)- a star that suddenly becomes much brighter for a short period compare supernovaWord Originlate 19th cent.: from Latin, feminine of novus ‘new’ (because such stars were thought to be newly formed).