Английский Этимологический словарь - novel (n.)

- 1566, from It. novella "short story," originally "new story," from L. novella "new thing," neut. pl. or fem. of novellus (see novel (adj.)). Originally "one of the tales or short stories in a collection" (esp. Boccaccio), later (1643) "long work of fiction," works which had before that been called romances. Novelist "writer of novels" is 1728, infl. by It. novellista.