Phrase guide

de novo

adj · adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /deɪˈnəʊvəʊ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /dəˈnəʊvəʊ/
  • US: /deɪˈnoʊvoʊ/
  • US: /dəˈnoʊvoʊ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Anew, afresh, from the beginning; without consideration of previous instances, proceedings or determinations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • He filed a motion for a de novo hearing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

anew (from the beginning)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Having found the lower court's analysis wrong, the appellate court undertook a review de novo.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

from the beginning

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dē novō (adverb, literally “from the new”), from dē (“from”) + novō, ablative singular of novus (“new”).